Terminal, Camera Unit, and Terminal Camera Unit System

ABSTRACT

A portable terminal selectively includes either a camera unit which has an image pickup section and is formed with an engagement part or a cover unit formed with the same engagement part as the camera unit. An attachment part for engaging with the engagement part is provided in a main body of the portable terminal.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority fromthe prior Japanese Patent Applications No. P2004-132879 filed on Apr.28, 2004, No. P2004-248189 filed on Aug. 27, 2004, and No. P2004-251110filed on Aug. 30, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporatedherein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a terminal, such as a mobile telephone,selectively including any one of camera units, etc., to which and fromwhich the camera unit can be attached and detached, and a camera unitthat can be attached to and can be detached from the terminal. Theinvention also relates to a terminal camera unit system having theterminal and the camera unit.

2. Description of the Related Art

<First Related Art>

Hitherto, for example, a mobile telephone or a PDA (Personal DigitalAssistant) including an image pickup function has been available as aportable terminal including an image pickup function. As a first relatedart according to such a portable terminal, an image pickup section usingan image pickup device such as a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) is fixed toa housing of a portable terminal.

<Second Related Art>

On the other hand, portability of the portable terminal having the imagepickup section fixed to the housing as in the first related art isimpaired because the housing is upsized as the image pickup section isprovided. Thus, as a second related art, an image pickup section is madedetachable and when the image pickup function is not used, the imagepickup section is removed, so that portability is not impaired. (Forexample, refer to JP-A-11-136653.)

<Third Related Art>

With the portable terminal having the image pickup section fixed to thehousing as in the first related art, if the user takes his or herphotograph, the user takes a photograph as he or she stretches his orher arm holding the portable terminal with the image pickup functionwhile directing the image pickup direction toward him or her.

Thus, to solve a problem of being incapable of making the photographingdistance in taking his or her own photograph longer than his or her arm,as a third related art, an image pickup section is made detachable fromthe main body of a housing and is made controllable by radiocommunications from the main body so that the user can also take aphotograph from a distant position. (For example, refer toJP-A-2002-335434.)

<Fourth Related Art>

With the portable terminal having the image pickup section fixed to thehousing as in the first related art, if the portable terminal includes acommunication function like a mobile telephone with an image pickupfunction, the image pickup section, a display section, and the like arefixed integrally to the housing. Thus, unlike a picture phone, it isimpossible to take a photograph of the user's face and make conversationwhile seeing an image of the associated party. Thus, as a fourth relatedart, the image pickup section and the display section are madedetachable from the main body of a housing so that the portable terminalcan be used as a picture phone. (For example, refer to JP-A-2003-32344.)

< Fifth Related Art>

Some portable terminals having an image pickup section fixed to ahousing as in the first related art are provided with a flash sectionsuch as a strobe flash together with the image pickup section. However,some users may consider that such flash section is unnecessary and thatthe image pickup section is also unnecessary.

In such a case, when the portable terminal having the flash section andthe image pickup section includes any other function required for theuser than the image pickup function, if the flash section and the imagepickup section are not required, the user must purchase the portableterminal having the section because there is no room for selection.Then, as a fifth related art, attention is focused on the fact that abattery cover is detachable from the main body of a portable terminal,and the flash section, the image pickup section, etc., is selectivelyprovided on the battery cover and the battery cover can be replaced withanother one, extending the range of user's choices.

<Sixth Related Art>

Unlike the portable terminals as in the first and second related arts, avideo camera has a lens unit made detachable as the camera unit isdetachable from the portable terminal in the second related art, andenables, the user to replace the detachable lens unit with a differenttype of lens unit as a sixth related art. (For example, refer toJP-A-9-33793.)

Each of the video camera and the lens unit according to the sixthrelated art includes a microcomputer and when the lens unit is attachedto the video camera, the microcomputer of the lens unit and themicrocomputer of the video camera are connected as circuitry.

The microcomputer of the lens unit retains peculiar informationconcerning the lens unit in an internal storage section and transmitsthe peculiar information to the video camera connected as circuitry.Thus, the video camera can acquire the peculiar information concerningany lens unit attachable to the video camera and can perform givenprocessing operation corresponding to the lens unit.

<Seventh Related Art>

Hitherto, an intelligent remote monitor system including a plurality ofpredetermined cameras installed for monitoring the sites and spots offactories, buildings, etc., at remote locations, a camera unit forreceiving video signals directly from the plurality of predeterminedcameras, and a monitoring personal computer and a monitor supportapparatus connected to the camera unit through the Internet has beenavailable. (For example, refer to JP-A-11-266487.)

In the intelligent remote monitor system, the camera unit causes thepredetermined cameras to perform given operation based on an operationsignal received from the monitoring personal computer and performspredetermined processing for any of videos photographed by the camerasand then transmits a signal of the video to the monitoring personalcomputer and the monitor support apparatus.

Therefore, in the intelligent remote monitor system, the monitoringpersonal computer is installed in a guardroom or overnightaccommodations separate from a control room, whereby the sites and spotsof the factories, buildings, etc., at remote locations can be monitoredfrom the guardroom or overnight accommodations. The monitor supportapparatus saves the received videos in sequence and detects whether ornot situation change occurs based on the most recent video and itsimmediately preceding video.

Hitherto, a crime prevention camera apparatus including a camera unithaving an image pickup camera, memory, a communication modem, etc., andan anomaly detection section of a vibration detector, a dooropening/closing sensor, etc., has been available. This crime preventioncamera apparatus is installed so that the image pickup camera of thecamera unit photographs the surroundings of the object to be monitored,such as a vending machine, and the anomaly detection section detects ananomaly of the object to be monitored, and transmits image pickup databefore and after detection of the anomaly or the like to a predeterminedterminal.

Hitherto, an attachment that can be attached to and detached from apredetermined mobile telephone and includes a specific site storagesection storing the address of a specific site on a communicationnetwork, a specific site connection button, and a login program storagesection storing a predetermined program for accessing the specific sitehas been available. If the user presses the specific site connectionbutton with the attachment attached to a predetermined mobile telephone,the attachment enables the user to easily connect to the specific site.

Hitherto, an image management method and system have been availablewherein a content identifier such as an image icon, for example, ispreviously associated with an image stored in a service provider on acommunication network and access to the image stored in the serviceprovider, executed using the content identifier is monitored, etc.

JP-A-11-136653, JP-A-2002-335434, JP-A-2003-32344, JP-A-9-33793 andJP-A-11-266487 are referred to as related art.

However, with the portable terminal having the image pickup sectionfixed to the housing as in the first related art, if the user wants tochange only the image pickup section to that improved in performance or,for example, if the user wants to change the image pickup section to anyselected from among those having image pickup devices with lowresolution, standard resolution, and high resolution or having imagepickup lenses of a wide-range lens and a super-telephoto lens, the usercannot replace the image pickup section only and must purchase a newportable terminal.

In the first related art, if the user using any other portable terminalincluding no image pickup section wants to use an image pickup section,the user must purchase a new portable terminal including the imagepickup section.

In summary, in the portable terminal having the image pickup sectionfixed to the housing as in the first related art, the camera unit of theimage pickup section is not attachable/detachable and the user cannotselect or replace his or her desired one from among camera unitsdifferent in the number of image pickup pixels.

For the portable terminal to and from which the camera unit is attachedand detached as in the second related art, processing operation softwarefor controlling the camera unit needs to be previously stored in thecamera unit. If an attempt is made to make it possible to attach thecamera unit to different types of portable terminals, different types ofthe software also need to be previously stored in response to the typesof portable terminals.

In the portable terminals according to the second to fourth relatedarts, the image pickup section can be attached to and detached from themain body of the housing, but the image pickup section can be attachedto and detached from the main body only in the individual relationship;if another image pickup section having different performance, etc., isattached to a specific main body, harmonization between the main bodyand the image pickup section is not guaranteed.

With the portable terminal according to the fifth related art, if thebattery cover is provided with not only the image pickup section, butalso any other device than the image pickup section, such as the flashsection, even if the user wants to replace the image pickup sectiononly, the user must replace the whole battery cover together with anyother device such as the flash section and therefore the portableterminal according to the fifth related art involves a similar problemto that involved in the portable terminal according to the first relatedart with the image pickup section fixed to the housing.

In the portable terminal according to the fifth related art, if abattery cover having the image pickup section having differentperformance, etc., is attached to a specific main body, harmonizationbetween the main body and the image pickup section is not guaranteed asin the second to fourth related arts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention provides a terminal selectively having a camera unithaving an image pickup section and an engagement part, or a cover unithaving an engagement part same as the engagement part of the cameraunit, wherein an attachment part for engaging with the engagement partis provided in a main body of the terminal.

In the terminal, the camera unit is one of camera units having the sameengagement part and having the same or different image pickup section.

In the terminal, the camera unit includes a storage section for storingcamera information concerning the image pickup section; and a cameracontrol section for controlling the image pickup section upon receptionof an instruction about photograph from the main body and outputtingimage data obtained by the image pickup section to the main body, andthe main body includes: a camera information acquisition section foracquiring camera information of a camera unit attached to the terminal;a main body control section for outputting an instruction aboutphotograph corresponding to the camera information to the attachedcamera unit when an operation for picking up an image is performed; animage data acquisition section for acquiring image data picked up by thecamera unit; a display section for displaying the image data acquired bythe image data acquisition section; and a power supply section forsupplying power to the attached camera unit.

In the terminal, the main body includes a first housing and a secondhousing which are foldably joined to each other, the attachment part isprovided in the first housing, when the attachment part and the cameraunit engage with each other, a part of the camera unit projects from asurface of the first housing opposed to the second housing and an imagepickup lens is exposed, and the second housing has a recess part in apredetermined shape at a position corresponding to the attachment parton the surface opposed to the first housing.

The invention also provides a camera unit that enables to be attached toand detached from a main body of a terminal, having: an image pickupsection having an image pickup lens and an image pickup device; astorage section for storing camera information concerning the imagepickup section; and a camera control section for controlling the imagepickup section upon reception of an instruction about photographcorresponding to the camera information from the main body andoutputting image data obtained by the image pickup section to the mainbody.

According to the terminal and the camera unit, the user can replace onlyan image pickup section with another image pickup section different inperformance, etc. The user can newly add only an image pickup section tothe terminal if an image pickup section is not provided to the terminal.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit and a terminal to which the camera unit enables to beattached, wherein the camera unit includes: an image pickup section; anda camera storage section for storing address information specifying apredetermined communication destination, the terminal includes: acommunication section; an information acquisition section for acquiringthe address information from the camera storage section; and a terminalstorage section for storing the address information, and if the addressinformation stored in the terminal storage section is different from theaddress information acquired by the information acquisition section, thecommunication section of the terminal performs a communicationprocessing with the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation acquired by the information acquisition section.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further includedetection section for detecting attachment of the camera unit, and ifthe detection section detects attachment of the camera unit, theterminal may determine whether or not the address information stored inthe terminal storage section is different from the address informationacquired by the information acquisition section.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit and a terminal to which the camera unit enables to beattached, wherein the camera unit includes: an image pickup section; anda camera storage section for storing identification informationidentifying the camera unit, the terminal includes: a communicationsection; an information acquisition section for acquiring theidentification information from the camera storage section; and aterminal storage section for storing the identification information, andif the identification information stored in the terminal storage sectionis different from the identification information acquired by theinformation acquisition section, the communication section of theterminal performs a communication processing with a predeterminedcommunication destination.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further includedetection section for detecting attachment of the camera unit, and ifthe detection section detects attachment of the camera unit, theterminal may determine whether or not the identification informationstored in the terminal storage section is different from theidentification information acquired by the information acquisitionsection.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may acquire addressinformation stored in the camera unit and may perform a communicationprocessing with the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further includecontrol section for controlling the camera unit, the terminal mayacquire a program or data for controlling the camera unit by performingthe communication processing, and the control section may control thecamera unit based on the acquired program or data.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal further includes atelephone function provided in the communication section, and if theterminal determines that the address information stored in the terminalstorage section is different from the address information acquired bythe information acquisition section while the communication sectionexecutes the telephone function, the communication section performs thecommunication processing with the communication destination after theexecution of the telephone function terminates.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit having an image pickup section, and a terminal in which thecamera unit enables to be attached to and detached from the terminal andenables to be replaced, wherein the camera unit includes: a camerastorage section for storing address information specifying apredetermined communication destination; and a camera control sectionfor controlling the image pickup section and reading the addressinformation from the camera storage section to output the addressinformation, and the terminal includes: a terminal storage sectionhaving an address information temporary storing area for temporarilystoring the address information, and an address information continuousstoring area for previously continuously storing address information; aninformation acquisition section for acquiring the address informationoutput from the camera control section, and storing the addressinformation in the address information temporary storing area; acomparison section for comparing between the address information storedin the address information temporary storing area and the addressinformation stored in the address information continuous storing area todetermine whether or not those address information are different eachother, and outputting the comparison result; a communication sectionthat enables to connect to a network; and a terminal control section,upon reception of the comparison result indicating that the addressinformation stored in the address information temporary storing area isdifferent from the address information stored in the address informationcontinuous storing area output from the comparison section, forcontrolling the communication section so as to perform a predeterminedcommunication processing with a communication destination indicated bythe address information stored in the address information temporarystoring area, and controlling so as to store the address informationstored in the address information temporary storing area into theaddress information continuous storing area.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit having an image pickup section, and a terminal in which thecamera unit enables to be attached to and detached from the terminal andenables to be replaced, wherein the camera unit includes: a camerastorage section for storing address information specifying apredetermined communication destination and identification informationfor identifying the camera unit; and a camera control section forcontrolling the image pickup section and reading the address informationand the identification information from the camera storage section tooutput the address information and the identification information, andthe terminal includes: a terminal storage section having an addressinformation temporary storing area for temporarily storing the addressinformation, an identification information temporary storing area fortemporarily storing the identification information, and anidentification information continuous storing area for continuouslystoring identification information; an information acquisition sectionfor acquiring the address information and the identification informationoutput from the camera control section, and storing the addressinformation in the address information temporary storing area and theidentification information in the identification information temporarystoring area; a comparison section for comparing between theidentification information stored in the identification informationtemporary storing area and the identification information stored in theidentification information continuous storing area to determine whetheror not those identification information are different each other, andoutputting the comparison result; a communication section that enablesto connect to a network; and a terminal control section, upon receptionof the comparison result indicating that the identification informationstored in the identification information temporary storing area isdifferent from the identification information stored in theidentification information continuous storing area output from thecomparison section, for controlling the communication section so as toperform a predetermined communication processing with a communicationdestination indicated by the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area, and controlling so as to store theidentification information stored in the identification informationtemporary storing area into the identification information continuousstoring area.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit having an image pickup section, and a terminal in which thecamera unit enables to be attached to and detached from the terminal andenables to be replaced, wherein the camera unit includes: a camerastorage section for storing identification information for identifyingthe camera unit; and a camera control section for controlling the imagepickup section and reading the identification information from thecamera storage section to output the identification information, and theterminal includes: a terminal storage section having an identificationinformation temporary storing area for temporarily storing theidentification information, an identification information continuousstoring area for continuously storing identification information, and anaddress information continuous storing area previously storing addressinformation specifying a predetermined communication destination; aninformation acquisition section for acquiring the identificationinformation output from the camera control section, and storing theidentification information in the identification information temporarystoring area; a comparison section for comparing between theidentification information stored in the identification informationtemporary storing area and the identification information stored in theidentification information continuous storing area to determine whetheror not those identification information are different each other, andoutputting the comparison result; a communication section that enablesto connect to a network; and a terminal control section, upon receptionof the comparison result indicating that the identification informationstored in the identification information temporary storing area isdifferent from the identification information stored in theidentification information continuous storing area output from thecomparison section, for controlling the communication section so as toperform a predetermined communication processing with a communicationdestination indicated by the address information, and controlling so asto store the identification information in the identificationinformation temporary storing area into the identification informationcontinuous storing area.

The invention also provides a camera unit which has an image pickupsection, and enables to be attached to and detached from a predeterminedterminal and enables to be replaced, having: a camera storage sectionfor storing address information specifying a predetermined communicationdestination and/or identification information for identifying the cameraunit; and a camera control section for controlling the image pickupsection and reading the address information and/or the identificationinformation from the camera storage section to output the addressinformation and/or the identification information.

The invention also provides a terminal used for a terminal camera unitsystem having a camera unit and a terminal to which the camera unitenables to be attached, having: a communication section; an informationacquisition section for acquiring address information stored in thecamera unit; and a terminal storage section for storing the addressinformation, wherein if the address information stored in the terminalstorage section is different from the address information acquired bythe information acquisition section, the communication section of theterminal performs a communication processing with the communicationdestination indicated by the address information acquired by theinformation acquisition section.

The terminal may further include a detection section for detectingattachment of the camera unit, wherein if the detection section detectsattachment of the camera unit, the terminal may determine whether or notthe address information stored in the terminal storage section isdifferent from the address information acquired by the informationacquisition section.

The invention also provides a terminal used for a terminal camera unitsystem having a camera unit and a terminal to which the camera unitenables to be attached, having: a communication section; an informationacquisition section for acquiring identification information stored inthe camera unit; and a terminal storage section for storing theidentification information, wherein if the identification informationstored in the terminal storage section is different from theidentification information acquired by the information acquisitionsection, the communication section of the terminal performs acommunication processing with a predetermined communication destination.

The terminal may further include a detection section for detectingattachment of the camera unit, wherein if the detection section detectsattachment of the camera unit, the terminal may determine whether or notthe identification information stored in the terminal storage section isdifferent from the identification information acquired by theinformation acquisition section.

In the terminal, the terminal acquires address information stored in thecamera unit, and may performs the communication processing with acommunication destination indicated by the address information.

The terminal may further include a control section for controlling thecamera unit, wherein the terminal may acquire a program or data forcontrolling the camera unit by performing the communication processing,and the control section may control the camera unit based on theacquired program or data.

The terminal may further include a telephone function provided in thecommunication section, wherein if the terminal determines that theaddress information stored in the terminal storage section is differentfrom the address information acquired by the information acquisitionsection while the communication section executes the telephone function,the communication section performs the communication processing with thecommunication destination after the execution of the telephone functionterminates.

The invention also provides a terminal, in which a camera unit storingaddress information specifying a predetermined communication destinationand having an image pickup section enables to be attached to anddetached from the terminal and enables to be replaced, having: a storagesection having an address information temporary storing area fortemporarily storing the address information, and an address informationcontinuous storing area for continuously storing address information; aninformation acquisition section for acquiring the address informationstored in the camera unit, and storing the address information in theaddress information temporary storing area; a comparison section forcomparing between the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area and the address information stored inthe address information continuous storing area to determine whether ornot those address information are different each other, and outputtingthe comparison result; a communication section that enables to connectto a network; and a control section, upon reception of the comparisonresult indicating that the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area is different from the addressinformation stored in the address information continuous storing areaoutput from the comparison section, for controlling the communicationsection so as to perform a predetermined communication processing with acommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe address information temporary storing area, and controlling so as tostore the address information stored in the address informationtemporary storing area into the address information continuous storingarea.

The invention also provides a terminal, in which a camera unit storingaddress information specifying a predetermined communication destinationand identification information for identifying the camera unit andhaving an image pickup section enables to be attached to and detachedfrom the terminal and enables to be replaced, having: a storage sectionhaving an address information temporary storing area for temporarilystoring the address information, an identification information temporarystoring area for temporarily storing the identification information, andan identification information continuous storing area for continuouslystoring identification information; an information acquisition sectionfor acquiring the address information and the identification informationstored in the camera unit, and storing the address information in theaddress information temporary storing area and the identificationinformation in the identification information temporary storing area; acomparison section for comparing between the identification informationstored in the identification information temporary storing area and theidentification information stored in the identification informationcontinuous storing area to determine whether or not those identificationinformation are different each other, and outputting the comparisonresult; a communication section that enables to connect to a network;and a control section, upon reception of the comparison resultindicating that the identification information stored in theidentification information temporary storing area is different from theidentification information stored in the identification informationcontinuous storing area output from the comparison section, forcontrolling the communication section so as to perform a predeterminedcommunication processing with a communication destination indicated bythe address information stored in the address information temporarystoring area, and controlling so as to store the identificationinformation stored in the identification information temporary storingarea into the identification information continuous storing area.

The invention also provides a terminal, in which a camera unit storingidentification information for identifying the camera unit and having animage pickup section enables to be attached to and detached from theterminal and enables to be replaced, having: a storage section having anidentification information temporary storing area for temporarilystoring the identification information, an identification informationcontinuous storing area for continuously storing identificationinformation, and an address information continuous storing areapreviously storing address information specifying a predeterminedcommunication destination; an information acquisition section foracquiring the identification information output from the camera unit,and storing the identification information in the identificationinformation temporary storing area; a comparison section for comparingbetween the identification information stored in the identificationinformation temporary storing area and the identification informationstored in the identification information continuous storing area todetermine whether or not those identification information are differenteach other, and outputting the comparison result; a communicationsection that enables to connect to a network; and a control section,upon reception of the comparison result indicating that theidentification information stored in the identification informationtemporary storing area and is different from the identificationinformation stored in the identification information continuous storingarea output from the comparison section, for controlling thecommunication section so as to perform a predetermined communicationprocessing with a communication destination indicated by the addressinformation, and controlling so as to store the identificationinformation in the identification information temporary storing areainto the identification information continuous storing area.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further includedetection section for detecting whether or not the camera unit isattached, and if the detection section does not detect that the cameraunit is attached, the terminal control section may control theinformation acquisition section so as not to acquire the addressinformation.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further includedetection section for detecting whether or not the camera unit isattached, and if the detection section does not detect that the cameraunit is attached, the terminal control section may control theinformation acquisition section so as not to acquire the addressinformation and the identification information.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further includedetection section for detecting whether or not the camera unit isattached, and if the detection section does not detect that the cameraunit is attached, the terminal control section may control theinformation acquisition section so as not to acquire the identificationinformation.

In the terminal camera unit system, the communication section mayperform the predetermined communication processing, thereby acquiringthe camera control information retained in the communication destinationwith which the predetermined communication processing is performed andstoring the camera control information in the terminal storage section,and the terminal control section may control the camera control sectionso as to perform the processing operation based on the camera controlinformation stored in the terminal storage section.

In the terminal camera unit system, the communication section mayinclude a conversation function and if the terminal control sectioninstructs the communication section to perform the predeterminedcommunication processing when the communication section conductsconversation communications by the conversation function, thecommunication section may start the predetermined communicationprocessing after completion of the conversation communications.

The terminal may further include detection section for detecting whetheror not the camera unit is attached, and if the detection section doesnot detect that the camera unit is attached, the control section maycontrol the information acquisition section so as not to acquire theaddress information.

The terminal may further include detection section for detecting whetheror not the camera unit is attached, and if the detection section doesnot detect that the camera unit is attached, the control section maycontrol the information acquisition section so as not to acquire theaddress information or the identification information.

The terminal may further include detection section for detecting whetheror not the camera unit is attached, and if the detection section doesnot detect that the camera unit is attached, the control section maycontrol the information acquisition section so as not to acquire theidentification information.

In the terminal, the communication section may perform the predeterminedcommunication processing, thereby acquiring the camera controlinformation retained in the communication destination with which thepredetermined communication processing is performed and storing thecamera control information in the storage section, and the controlsection may control the camera unit so as to operate based on the cameracontrol information stored in the storage section.

In the terminal, the communication section may include a conversationfunction and if the control section instructs the communication sectionto perform the predetermined communication processing when thecommunication section conducts conversation communications by theconversation function, the communication section may start thepredetermined communication processing after completion of theconversation communications.

According to the terminal camera unit system, the terminal, and thecamera unit used for the terminal camera unit system, the terminal towhich the camera unit is attached can perform the optimum processingoperation corresponding to the camera unit attached to the terminal.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit and a terminal to which the camera unit enables to beattached, wherein the camera unit includes: an image pickup section; animage processing section for outputting image data acquired by the imagepickup section to the terminal; and a camera storage section for storingaddress information specifying a predetermined communicationdestination, and the terminal includes: a communication section; animage data acquisition section for acquiring the image data output fromthe image processing section; and an information acquisition section foracquiring the address information from the camera storage section, andthe communication section of the terminal transmits the image dataacquired by the image data acquisition section to a communicationdestination specified by the address information acquired by theinformation acquisition section.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit and a terminal to which the camera unit enables to beattached, wherein the camera unit includes: an image pickup section; animage processing section for outputting image data acquired by the imagepickup section to the terminal; and a camera storage section for storingaddress information specifying a predetermined communicationdestination, and the terminal includes: a communication section; animage data acquisition section for acquiring the image data output fromthe image processing section; an information acquisition section foracquiring the address information from the camera storage section; and aterminal storage section for storing the address information, and if theaddress information stored in the terminal storage section is differentfrom the address information acquired by the information acquisitionsection, the communication section of the terminal transmits the imagedata to a communication destination specified by the address informationacquired by the information acquisition section.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further includedetection section for detecting attachment of the camera unit, and ifthe detection section detects attachment of the camera unit, if power ofthe terminal is turned on, or if a processing for transmitting the imagedata is started, the terminal may determine whether or not the addressinformation stored in the terminal storage section is different from theaddress information acquired by the information acquisition section.

The invention also provides a terminal camera unit system having acamera unit and a terminal to which the camera unit enables to beattached, wherein the camera unit includes: an image pickup section; animage processing section for outputting image data acquired by the imagepickup section to the terminal; and a camera storage section for storingidentification information identifying the camera unit, and the terminalincludes:

a communication section; an image data acquisition section for acquiringthe image data output from the image processing section; an informationacquisition section for acquiring the identification information fromthe camera storage section; and a terminal storage section for storingthe identification information, and if the identification informationstored in the terminal storage section is different from theidentification information acquired by the information acquisitionsection, the communication section of the terminal transmits the imagedata to a predetermined communication destination.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may further include adetection section for detecting attachment of the camera unit, and ifthe detection section detects attachment of the camera unit, if power ofthe terminal is turned on, or if a processing for transmitting the imagedata is started, the terminal may determine whether or not theidentification information stored in the terminal storage section isdifferent from the identification information acquired by theinformation acquisition section.

In the terminal camera unit system, the terminal may acquire addressinformation stored in the camera unit and transmit the image dataacquired by the image data acquisition section to the communicationdestination specified by the address information.

The invention also provides a camera unit which has an image pickupsection and enables to be attached to and detached from a predeterminedterminal and enables to be replaced, having: a camera storage sectionfor storing address information specifying a predetermined communicationdestination and/or identification information for identifying the cameraunit; an image processing section for outputting image data acquired bythe image pickup section to the terminal; and an information outputsection for reading the address information and/or the identificationinformation from the camera storage section to output the addressinformation and/or the identification information.

The invention also provides a terminal used for a terminal camera unitsystem comprising a camera unit having an image pickup section and aterminal to which the camera unit enables to be attached, having: acommunication section; an image data acquisition section for acquiringimage data picked up by the camera unit; an information acquisitionsection for acquiring address information stored in the camera unit; anda terminal storage section for storing the address information, whereinif the address information stored in the terminal storage section isdifferent from the address information acquired by the informationacquisition section, the communication section of the terminal transmitsthe image data to a communication destination specified by the addressinformation acquired by the information acquisition section.

The terminal may further include a detection section for detectingattachment of the camera unit, wherein if the detection section detectsattachment of the camera unit, if power is turned on, or if a processingfor transmitting the image data is started, the terminal may determinewhether or not the address information stored in the terminal storagesection is different from the address information acquired by theinformation acquisition section.

The invention also provides a terminal used for a terminal camera unitsystem having a camera unit having an image pickup section and aterminal to which the camera unit enables to be attached, having: acommunication section; an image data acquisition section for acquiringimage data picked up by the camera unit; an information acquisitionsection for acquiring identification information stored in the cameraunit; and a terminal storage section for storing the identificationinformation, wherein if the identification information stored in theterminal storage section is different from the identificationinformation acquired by the information acquisition section, thecommunication section of the terminal transmits the image data to apredetermined communication destination.

The terminal may further include a detection section for detectingattachment of the camera unit, wherein if the detection section detectsattachment of the camera unit, if power is turned on, or if a processingfor transmitting the image data is started, the terminal may determinewhether or not the identification information stored in the terminalstorage section is different from the identification informationacquired by the information acquisition section.

In the terminal, the terminal may acquire address information stored inthe camera unit and may transmit the image data acquired by the imagedata acquisition section to the communication destination specified bythe address information.

The terminal may has a telephone function provided in the communicationsection, Wherein if the terminal determines that the address informationstored in the terminal storage section is different from the addressinformation acquired by the information acquisition section while thecommunication section executes the telephone function, the communicationsection transmits the image data acquired by the image data acquisitionsection to the communication destination after the execution of thetelephone function terminates.

The terminal may further include an operation section for enabling theuser to enter any address information, wherein if the addressinformation entered through the operation section is different from theaddress information acquired by the information acquisition section,transmitting the image data acquired by the image data acquisitionsection may not be transmitted.

The terminal may further include an operation section for enabling theuser to enter any address information, wherein if the addressinformation entered through the operation section is different from theacquired address information, transmitting the image data acquired bythe image data acquisition section may not be transmitted.

According to the terminal camera unit system, the terminal, and thecamera unit used for the terminal camera unit system, a photographedimage is prevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will.

The invention provides a camera unit system having a camera unit and aterminal to which the camera unit enables to be attached, wherein thecamera unit includes: an image pickup section; a camera storage sectionfor storing camera information concerning the image pickup section; anda camera control section for controlling the image pickup section uponreception of an instruction about photograph from the terminal andoutputting image data obtained by the image pickup section to theterminal, and the terminal includes: a camera information acquisitionsection for acquiring the camera information from the camera storagesection; a terminal control section for outputting an instruction aboutphotograph corresponding to the camera information to the attachedcamera unit if an operation for picking up an image is performed; and animage data acquisition section for acquiring image data picked up by thecamera unit.

In the camera unit system, the terminal selectively includes a cameraunit having the image pickup section and a predetermined engagementpart, or a cover unit having an engagement part same as the engagementpart of the camera unit, and the terminal includes an attachment partfor engaging with the engagement part.

In the camera unit system, the terminal includes a first housing and asecond housing which are foldably joined to each other, the attachmentpart is provided in the first housing, when the attachment part and thecamera unit engage with each other, a part of the camera unit projectsfrom a surface of the first housing opposed to the second housing and animage pickup lens is exposed, and the second housing has a recess partin a predetermined shape at a position corresponding to the attachmentpart on the surface opposed to the first housing.

The invention also provides a camera unit system having a camera unitand a terminal to which the camera unit enables to be attached, whereinthe camera unit includes: an image pickup section; and a camera storagesection for storing address information specifying a predeterminedcommunication destination and/or identification information identifyingthe camera unit, the terminal includes: a communication section; aninformation acquisition section for acquiring the address informationand/or the identification information from the camera storage section;and a terminal storage section for storing the address informationand/or the identification information.

In the camera unit system, if the address information stored in theterminal storage section is different from the address informationacquired by the information acquisition section, the communicationsection of the terminal performs a communication processing with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information acquiredby the information acquisition section.

In the camera unit system, if the identification information stored inthe terminal storage section is different from the identificationinformation acquired by the information acquisition section, thecommunication section of the terminal performs a communicationprocessing with a predetermined communication destination.

In the camera unit system, the terminal acquires address informationstored in the camera unit and performs a communication processing withthe communication destination indicated by the address information.

In the camera unit system, the terminal further includes a controlsection for controlling the camera unit, the communication sectionacquires a program or data for controlling the camera unit by performinga communication processing with a communication destination indicated bythe address information acquired by the information acquisition section,and the control section controls the camera unit based on the acquiredprogram or data.

In the camera unit system, the camera unit further includes: an imageprocessing section for outputting image data acquired by the imagepickup section to the terminal, the terminal further includes: an imagedata acquisition section for acquiring the image data output from theimage processing section, and if the address information stored in theterminal storage section is different from the address informationacquired by the information acquisition section, the communicationsection of the terminal transmits the image data acquired by the imagedata acquisition section to a communication destination indicated by theaddress information acquired by the information acquisition section.

In the camera unit system, the camera unit further includes: an imageprocessing section for outputting image data acquired by the imagepickup section to the terminal, the terminal further includes: an imagedata acquisition section for acquiring the image data output from theimage processing section, and if the identification information storedin the terminal storage section is different from the identificationinformation acquired by the information acquisition section, thecommunication section of the terminal performs a communicationprocessing with a predetermined communication destination.

In the camera unit system, the terminal acquires address informationstored in the camera unit and transmits the image data acquired by theimage data acquisition section to the communication destinationindicated by the address information.

In the camera unit system, the terminal further includes a detectionsection for detecting attachment of the camera unit, and if thedetection section detects attachment of the camera unit, if power of theterminal is turned on, or if a processing for transmitting the imagedata is started, the terminal determines whether or not the addressinformation or the identification information stored in the terminalstorage section is different from the address information or theidentification information acquired by the information acquisitionsection.

The invention also provides a terminal to which a camera unit enables tobe attached for a camera unit system comprising the camera unit and theterminal to which the camera unit enables to be attached, having: acommunication section; an information acquisition section for acquiringaddress information specifying a predetermined communication destinationand/or identification information identifying the camera unit stored inthe camera unit; and a terminal storage section for storing the addressinformation and/or the identification information.

In the terminal, if the address information stored in the terminalstorage section is different from the address information acquired bythe information acquisition section, the communication section of theterminal performs a communication processing with the communicationdestination indicated by the address information acquired by theinformation acquisition section.

In the terminal, if the identification information stored in theterminal storage section is different from the identificationinformation acquired by the information acquisition section, thecommunication section of the terminal performs a communicationprocessing with a predetermined communication destination.

In the terminal, the terminal acquires address information stored in thecamera unit, and performs the communication processing with acommunication destination indicated by the address information.

The terminal further has: a control section for controlling the cameraunit, wherein the communication section acquires a program or data forcontrolling the camera unit by performing a communication processingwith a communication destination indicated by the address informationacquired by the information acquisition section, and the control sectioncontrols the camera unit based on the acquired program or data.

The terminal further has: an image data acquisition section foracquiring image data picked up by the camera unit, wherein if theaddress information stored in the terminal storage section is differentfrom the address information acquired by the information acquisitionsection, the communication section transmits the image data acquired bythe image data acquisition section to a communication destinationindicated by the address information acquired by the informationacquisition section.

The terminal further has: an image data acquisition section foracquiring image data picked up by the camera unit, wherein if theidentification information stored in the terminal storage section isdifferent from the identification information acquired by theinformation acquisition section, the communication section transmits theimage data acquired by the image data acquisition section to acommunication destination indicated by the address information acquiredby the information acquisition section.

The terminal further has: a detection section for detecting attachmentof the camera unit, wherein if the detection section detects attachmentof the camera unit, if power of the terminal is turned on, or if aprocessing for transmitting the image data is started, the terminaldetermines whether or not the address information or the identificationinformation stored in the terminal storage section is different from theaddress information or the identification information acquired by theinformation acquisition section.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view to show a camera unit 14 and a main body114 of a mobile telephone 12 according to first embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 1 when the cameraunit 14 is attached to a female screw part 116 of the main body 114;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 1 when a cover unit124 is attached to the female screw part 116 of the main body 114;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the camera unit 14 and the main body 114 ofthe mobile telephone 12 in the first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 5 is a drawing to show a camera information table stored in acamera storage section 128 shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart to show the processing operation of a main bodycontrol section 136 shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view to show mobile telephone 22, 250, 260, 2100and camera unit 24, 252, 262, 2101 according to second to fifthembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 7 to show a statein which the camera unit 24, 252, 262, 2101 is attached to a femalescrew part 216 of the mobile telephone 22, 250, 260, 2100 according tothe second to fifth embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 7 to show a statein which a cover unit 224 is attached to the female screw part 216 ofthe mobile telephone 22, 250, 260, 2100 according to the second to fifthembodiments of the invention;

FIG. 10 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 22, 260, 2100and the camera unit 24, 262, 2101 according to the second, fourth, andfifth embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 11 is a conceptual drawing to show the configuration of a terminalstorage section 240 in the second and third embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 12 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 22 and the camera unit 24 in the second embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 13 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 250 and thecamera unit 252 according to the third embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 14 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 250 and the camera unit 252 in the third embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 15 is a conceptual drawing to show the configuration of a terminalstorage section 240 in the fourth and fifth embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 16 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 260 and the camera unit 262 in the fourth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 2100 and the camera unit 2101 in the fifth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 18 is a circuit block diagram of a mobile telephone 2110 and acamera unit 2111 according to a different embodiment from the second tofifth embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 19 is a perspective view to show mobile telephone 32, 350, 360,370, 380, 390 and camera unit 34, 352, 362, 372, 382, 392 according tosixth to eleventh embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 19 to show a statein which the camera unit 34, 352, 362, 372, 382, 392 is attached to afemale screw part 316 of the mobile telephone 32, 350, 360, 370, 380,390 according to the sixth to eleventh embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken on line A-A in FIG. 19 to show a statein which a cover unit 324 is attached to the female screw part 316 ofthe mobile telephone 32, 350, 360, 370, 380, 390 according to the sixthto eleventh embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 22 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 32 and thecamera unit 34 according to the sixth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 23 is a conceptual drawing to show the configuration of a terminalstorage section 340 in the sixth and seventh embodiments and twelfthembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 24 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 32 and the camera unit 34 in the sixth and seventh embodimentsof the invention;

FIG. 25 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 350 and thecamera unit 352 according to the seventh embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 26 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 360 and thecamera unit 362 according to the eighth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 27 is a conceptual drawing to show the configuration of a terminalstorage section 340 in the eighth and tenth embodiments of theinvention;

FIG. 28 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 360 and the camera unit 362 in the eighth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 29 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 370 and thecamera unit 372 according to the ninth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 30 is a conceptual drawing to show the configuration of a terminalstorage section 340 in the ninth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 31 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 370 and the camera unit 372 in the ninth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 32 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 380 and thecamera unit 382 according to the tenth embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 33 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 380 and the camera unit 382 in the tenth embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 34 is a circuit block diagram of the mobile telephone 390 and thecamera unit 392 according to the eleventh embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 35 is a conceptual drawing to show the configuration of a terminalstorage section 340 in the eleventh embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 36 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the mobiletelephone 390 and the camera unit 392 in the eleventh embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 37 is a circuit block diagram of a monitor camera main body 3100and a camera unit 3102 according to twelfth embodiment of the invention;and

FIG. 38 is a flowchart to show an operation procedure of the monitorcamera main body 3100 and the camera unit 3102 in the twelfth embodimentof the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment

A first embodiment of a portable terminal according to the inventionwill be specifically explained based on the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1 to 6 are drawings referenced for describing a mobile telephone12 (corresponding to portable terminal) and a camera unit 14 accordingto the first embodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile telephone 12 according to the firstembodiment includes a first housing 18 having an operation section 16made up of a ten-key numeric pad, etc., and a second housing 112 havinga display section 110 such as an LCD (liquid crystal display), the firstand second housings being joined to each other in a foldable manner. Thefirst housing 18 and the second housing 112 make up a main body 114 ofthe mobile telephone 12. The operation section 16 is placed on anoperation face 18 a of the first housing 18.

Although not shown, when the first housing 18 and the second housing 112are placed in a fold state, the operation face 18 a and the display faceof the display section 110 face each other and are prevented from beingexposed to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile telephone 12 includes the camera unit 14that can be attached to and detached from the mobile telephone 12. Thecamera unit 14 has an image pickup device such as a CCD (not shown) andan image pickup lens 14 a, and the image pickup device is placed insidethe camera unit 14. The image pickup lens 14 a is placed on one end faceof the length of the camera unit 14 on the image pickup axis of theimage pickup device and in the image pickup axis direction and isexposed to the outside. The camera unit 14 has a male screw part 14 b(corresponding to engagement part) on the outer periphery of theintermediate part of the length in the image pickup axis direction.

A female screw part 116 (corresponding to attachment part) correspondingto the male screw part 14 b of the camera unit 14 is provided in thefirst housing 18 so as to open to the operation face 18 a. The cameraunit 14 is inserted into the female screw part 116 from the end partopposite to the end part on the side of the image pickup lens 14 a andthe male screw part 14 b and the female screw part 116 are fastened,whereby the camera unit 14 is attached to the first housing 18.

When the camera unit 14 is attached to the first housing 18, the endpart on the side of the image pickup lens 14 a in the image pickup axisdirection is fixed in a state in which the end part projects from theoperation face 18 a (see FIG. 2). Thus, the second housing 112 is formedwith a recess part 118 of a predetermined shape at the positioncorresponding to the female screw part 116 on the face opposed to theoperation face 18 a of the first housing 18 when the mobile telephone 12is folded, as shown in FIG. 1. The internal space of the recess part 118is formed so as to be able to house the end part on the side of theimage pickup lens 14 a projecting from the operation face 18 a of thecamera unit 14 when the first housing 18 and the second housing 112 arefolded mutually.

As shown in FIG. 2, the camera unit 14 has a connector 14 c at the endpart opposite to the end part on the side of the image pickup lens 14 ain the image pickup axis direction, and the connector 14 c engages witha connector 122 provided on a wiring board 120 in the first housing 18for conduction of electricity.

As shown in FIG. 3, if the user does not attach the camera unit 14 tothe first housing 18 because of not using the image pickup function, theuser can attach a cover unit 124 to the first housing 18 in place of thecamera unit 14.

The cover unit 124 is formed with a male screw part 124 b (correspondingto engagement part) which is the same as the male screw part 14 b of thecamera unit 14 and thus can be fastened to the female screw part 116 ofthe first housing 18 by the screw as with the camera unit 14.

Next, the circuit configuration of the camera unit 14 and the main body114 of the mobile telephone 12 will be explained. FIG. 4 is a blockdiagram to show the circuit configuration in a state in which the cameraunit 14 is attached to the mobile telephone 12.

The camera unit 14 includes an image pickup section 126, a camerastorage section 128, and a camera control section 130 for controllingthem. The image pickup section 126 is made up of the image pickup lens14 a previously described with reference to FIG. 1, an image pickupdevice (not shown), etc. The camera unit 14 has the image pickup section126 having any of three types of image pickup devices with lowresolution, standard resolution, and high resolution and enables theuser to selectively attach any of the three types of camera units 14 tothe main body 114.

The camera storage section 128 shown in FIG. 4 is nonvolatile memory forstoring a camera information table concerning the image pickup section126 as shown in FIG. 5. As shown in the figure, the camera storagesection 128 has as a part of the camera information, two-bit informationindicating that the image pickup device of the image pickup section 126has low resolution, standard resolution, or high resolution ascombination of the first and second bits set to H (high) and L (low), Land H, or L and L.

The camera storage section 128 can store not only the information aboutthe resolution of the image pickup device, but also address informationto specify a predetermined communication destination (called party) asanother part of the camera information. The address information containsnot only information specifying the location of a home page on theInternet such as URL (Uniform Resource Locator), but also any othernotation to specify the location of an information source that can beconnected via a communication network.

The camera information refers to information concerning the camera unit14 such as resolution, angle of view, super-telephoto lens or wide-anglelens, manufacturer, standard, operation environment, image data capturecontrol, image processing, and operation menu in addition to the camerainformation described above.

If the camera control section 130 receives an instruction of operationstart, termination, etc., from the main body 114, the camera controlsection 130 controls the image pickup section 126 based on theinstruction. The camera control section 130 performs AE (Auto Exposure)processing or AWB (Auto White Balance) processing for RGB raw dataconcerning color output as data for each pixel from the image pickupsection 126 and outputs the processing result to the main body 114.

The AE processing refers to processing of optimizing exposure, and theAWB processing refers to processing of preventing display of white in animage from taking on any other color with reception of the effect of alight source, etc., by adjusting a red gain, a blue gain, etc.

Next, the main body 114 includes a camera information acquisitionsection 132, a determination section 134, a main body control section136, an image data acquisition section 138, a main body storage section140, a transmission-reception section 142, and a power supply 144 inaddition to the operation section 16 and the display section 110previously described.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the camera unit 14 is attached to the main body114 (first housing 18) and the connector 14 c of the camera unit 14engages with the connector 122 of the wiring board 120, the camerainformation acquisition section 132, the main body control section 136,and the image data acquisition section 138 of the main body 114 shown inFIG. 4 are connected to the camera control section 130 of the cameraunit 14 as circuitry. When the camera unit 14 is attached to the mainbody 114, the power supply 144 is connected to the camera unit 14 forsupplying a current thereto in addition to the circuitry in the mainbody 114.

When the camera information acquisition section 132 is connected to thecamera control section 130 as circuitry, the camera informationacquisition section 132 fetches the camera information in the camerastorage section 128 through the camera control section 130 and retainsthe camera information. If the camera information in the camera storagesection 128 contains address information, the camera informationacquisition section 132 outputs the address information to the main bodystorage section 140.

If the camera information acquisition section 132 acquires the camerainformation, the determination section 134 determines that the cameraunit 14 is attached to the main body 114, and outputs an attachmentsignal to the effect that the camera unit 14 is attached to the mainbody 114 to the main body control section 136.

An optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, a mechanical switch, or the likefor directly detecting that the camera unit 14 is attached to the mainbody 114 and outputting an attachment signal indicating the fact may beprovided as the detection section 134 as a different embodiment from thefirst embodiment instead of determining by the determination section 134that the camera unit 14 is attached to the main body 114 depending onwhether or not the camera information acquisition section 132 acquiresthe camera information.

After the attachment signal is received and after the user operates theoperation section 16 to start a camera mode, the main body controlsection 136 issues an instruction about photograph output to the cameraunit 4 corresponding to the camera information stored in the camerainformation acquisition section 132. The main body control section 136instructs the image data acquisition section 138 to perform image dataprocessing corresponding to the camera information of the camerainformation acquisition section 132.

Upon reception of the instruction from the main body control section136, the image data acquisition section 138 calculates the datacorresponding to the camera information of the camera informationacquisition section 132, and selects and fetches the program, etc.,corresponding to the camera control information from among the programs,etc., previously stored in the main body storage section 140. Uponreception of image data from the camera unit 14, the image dataacquisition section 138 performs image data processing based on thedata, the program, etc.

That is, the image data acquisition section 138 changes, etc., the imagedata fetch clock frequency, JPEG compression rate, electronic zoomratio, the thinning-out rate in displaying on the display section 110,etc., corresponding to the camera information of the camera informationacquisition section 132 and processes the image data.

The image data acquisition section 138 displays the image data receivedfrom the camera unit 14 or data provided by performing predeterminedprocessing for the image data on the display section 110 or stores theimage data or the data in the main body storage section 140. The imagedata can also be stored in external storage section (not shown) and canalso be retained in an external server through thetransmission-reception section 142.

In particular, the main body storage section 140 is made up of SDRAM(Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) and flash memory although notshown. If the image data is stored in the main body storage section 140,the image data received from the camera unit 14 is once stored in theSDRAM and then the image data acquisition section 138 performs JPEGcompression processing for the image data in the SDRAM before storage ofthe image data in the flash memory.

Upon reception of the address information from the camera informationacquisition section 132, the main body storage section 140 stores theaddress information and also outputs the address information to thetransmission-reception section 142 and causes the transmission-receptionsection 142 to automatically start communications with the predeterminedcommunication destination specified by the address information and thenreceive the predetermined program, etc., corresponding to the camerainformation. The program, etc., received by the transmission-receptionsection 142 is stored in the main body storage section 140.

Therefore, if the program, etc., corresponding to the camera informationof the camera information acquisition section 132 is not previouslystored in the main body storage section 140, the program received by thetransmission-reception section 142 corresponding to the addressinformation in the camera information is newly added to the main bodystorage section 140, so that the image data acquisition section 138 canalways fetch the program, etc., corresponding to the camera informationof the camera information acquisition section 132 from the main bodystorage section 140 and can perform appropriate processing for the imagedata of the camera unit 14.

Next, the processing operation of the main body control section 136 whenthe user operates the operation section 16 to start the camera mode touse the image pickup function of the mobile telephone 12 will beexplained based on a flowchart of FIG. 6.

If the user operates the operation section 16 to select the camera modefrom among various functions of the mobile telephone 12 after the cameraunit 14 is attached to the main body 114, the main body control section136 makes a transition to the camera mode based on the camerainformation stored in the camera information acquisition section 132(YES at step S1 and step S2).

If the camera unit 14 is not attached to the main body 114 or the coverunit 124 rather than the camera unit 14 is attached, the camerainformation acquisition section 132 does not retain the camerainformation and therefore the main body control section 136 does notmake a transition to the camera mode and terminates the processingoperation (NO at step S1).

When the main body control section 136 makes a transition to the cameramode at step S2, the main body control section 136 determines which oflow resolution, standard resolution, and high resolution the attachedcamera unit 14 has based on the camera information of the camerainformation acquisition section 132 (step S3). After step S3, the mainbody control section 136 performs the processing procedure correspondingto the determined resolution (any of steps S4 to S6).

According to the mobile telephone 12 and the camera unit 14 according tothe first embodiment, the user can replace only the camera unit 14 witha camera unit of different performance, etc., and if the camera unit 14is not required, the user can attach the cover unit 124 rather than thecamera unit 14. If the mobile telephone does not include the camera unit14, the user can attach only a new camera unit 14 to the mobiletelephone 12.

A part of the camera unit 14 projects from the operation face 18 a ofthe first housing 18 in the main body 114, but the second housing 112 isformed with the recess part 118, whereby complicating or upsizing of theouter shape of the mobile telephone 12 can be prevented and impairing ofportability can be avoided.

In the first embodiment, if the camera unit 14 is attached to the femalescrew part 116 of the main body 114, the image pickup device of thecamera unit 14 has any of low resolution, standard resolution, or highresolution. However, as another embodiment, the camera unit 14 may haveany of a super-telephoto lens, a standard lens, or a wide-angle lens asthe image pickup lens. In such a case, the camera information shown inFIG. 5 is defined corresponding to the type of image pickup lens.

A plurality of combinations of the image pickup section 126 of differentresolutions and different types of image pickup lenses 4 a may beprovided as different types of camera units 14 and the user may attachany of the camera units 14 or the cover unit 124 to the female screwpart 116.

A plurality of combinations of other elements different in performance,etc., than the image pickup section 126 of different resolutions ordifferent types of image pickup lenses 14 a may be provided as differenttypes of camera units 14 and the user may attach any of the camera units14 or the cover unit 124 to the female screw part 116. A plurality ofcombinations of other elements different in performance, etc., than theimage pickup section 126 of different resolutions or different types ofimage pickup lenses 14 a and the image pickup section 126 of differentresolutions and different types of image pickup lenses 14 a may beprovided as different types of camera units 14.

That is, the user can also replace the camera unit 14 having the imagepickup section 126 different in resolution, angle of view, type of imagepickup lens (super-telephoto lens, wide-angle lens, etc.), manufacturer,standard, etc.

In the first embodiment, the invention is applied to the mobiletelephone 12, but can also be applied to any other portable terminalsuch as a PDA. The invention can also be applied to other digital homeelectric appliances that can include an image pickup function, such as apersonal computer and an audio machine including an image pickupfunction.

Second to fifth embodiments of a portable terminal camera unit systemand a portable terminal and a camera unit used with the portableterminal camera unit system according to the invention will bespecifically explained based on the accompanying drawings.

The first object of the first embodiment of the invention is to providea terminal for enabling a user to replace only an image pickup sectionwith another image pickup section different in performance, etc., andenabling the user to newly add only an image pickup section to theterminal if no image pickup section is provided to the terminal, and acamera unit used with the terminal.

Second Embodiment

FIGS. 7 to 12 are drawings referenced for describing a mobile telephonecamera unit system (corresponding to portable terminal camera unitsystem) and a mobile telephone 22 (corresponding to portable terminal)and a camera unit 24 used with the mobile telephone camera unit systemaccording to the second embodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 7, the mobile telephone 22 according to the secondembodiment includes a first housing 28 having an operation section 26made up of a ten-key numeric pad, etc., and a microphone 27 and a secondhousing 212 having a display section 210 such as an LCD (liquid crystaldisplay) and a loudspeaker 211, the first and second housings beingjoined to each other in a foldable manner.

The operation section 26 is placed on an operation face 28 a of thefirst housing 28. A release switch 214 for causing the camera unit 24 toperform the photographing operation is provided on a side face 28 bparallel in the length direction of the first housing 28 and adjacentwith the operation face 28 a.

Although not shown, when the first housing 28 and the second housing 212are placed in a fold state, the operation face 28 a and the display faceof the display section 210 face each other and are prevented from beingexposed to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 7, the camera unit 24 can be attached to and detachedfrom the mobile telephone 22 and the mobile telephone 22 also enablesthe user to replace the camera unit 24 with another type of camera unit.

The camera unit 24 has an image pickup device such as a CCD (not shown)and an image pickup lens 4 a, and the image pickup device is placedinside the camera unit 24. The image pickup lens 24 a is placed on oneend face of the length of the camera unit 24 on the image pickup axis ofthe image pickup device and in the image pickup axis direction and isexposed to the outside. The camera unit 24 has a male screw part 24 b(corresponding to engagement part) on the outer periphery of theintermediate part of the length in the image pickup axis direction.

A female screw part 216 (corresponding to attachment part) correspondingto the male screw part 24 b of the camera unit 24 is provided in thefirst housing 28 so as to open to the operation face 28 a. The cameraunit 24 is inserted into the female screw part 216 from the end partopposite to the end part on the side of the image pickup lens 24 a andthe male screw part 24 b and the female screw part 216 are fastened,whereby the camera unit 24 is attached to the first housing 28.

When the camera unit 24 is attached to the first housing 28, the endpart on the side of the image pickup lens 24 a in the image pickup axisdirection is fixed in a state in which the end part projects from theoperation face 28 a (see FIG. 8). Thus, the second housing 212 is formedwith a recess part 218 of a predetermined shape at the positioncorresponding to the female screw part 216 on the face opposed to theoperation face 28 a of the first housing 28 when the mobile telephone isfolded, as shown in FIG. 7. The internal space of the recess part 218 isformed so as to be able to house the end part on the side of the imagepickup lens 24 a projecting from the operation face 28 a of the cameraunit 24 when the first housing 28 and the second housing 212 are foldedmutually.

As shown in FIG. 8, the camera unit 24 has a connector 24 c at the endpart opposite to the end part on the side of the image pickup lens 24 ain the image pickup axis direction, and the connector 24 c engages witha connector 222 provided on a wiring board 220 in the first housing 28for conduction of electricity.

As shown in FIG. 9, if the user does not attach the camera unit 24 tothe first housing 28 because of not using the image pickup function, theuser can attach a cover unit 224 to the first housing 28 in place of thecamera unit 24.

The cover unit 224 is formed with a male screw part 224 b (correspondingto engagement part) which is the same as the male screw part 24 b of thecamera unit 24 and thus can be fastened to the female screw part 216 ofthe first housing 28 by the screw as with the camera unit 24.

Next, the circuit configuration of the mobile telephone 22 and thecamera unit 24 will be explained. FIG. 10 is a block diagram to show thecircuit configuration in a state in which the camera unit 24 is attachedto the mobile telephone 22.

The camera unit 24 includes an image pickup section 226, a camerastorage section 228, and a camera control section 230 for controllingthem. The image pickup section 226 is made up of the image pickup lens24 a previously described with reference to FIG. 7, an image pickupdevice (not shown), etc.

The camera storage section 228 shown in FIG. 10 is nonvolatile memoryfor storing address information to specify a predetermined communicationdestination (called party). The address information contains not onlyinformation specifying the location of a home page on the Internet suchas URL (Uniform Resource Locator), but also a specific telephone numberand any other notation to specify the location of an information sourcethat can be connected via a communication network like specification ofa specific server, etc., connected to the communication network.

If the camera control section 230 receives a signal for making a requestto transfer the address information in the camera storage section 228from an information acquisition section 232 of the mobile telephone 22(described later), the camera control section 230 performs firstprocessing operation of reading the address information from the camerastorage section 228 and outputting the address information to theinformation acquisition section 232.

If the camera control section 230 receives an instruction from aterminal control section 236 of the mobile telephone 22 (describedlater), the camera control section 230 controls the image pickup section226 based on the instruction. The camera control section 230 performs AE(Auto Exposure) processing or AWB (Auto White Balance) processing forRGB raw data concerning color output as data for each pixel from theimage pickup section 226 and outputs the processing result to a imagedata acquisition section 238 of the mobile telephone 22 (describedlater) based on an instruction of the terminal control section 236.

The AE processing refers to processing of optimizing exposure, and theAWB processing refers to processing of preventing display of white in animage from taking on any other color with reception of the effect of alight source, etc., by adjusting a red gain, a blue gain, etc.

In the circuit configuration in FIG. 10, the mobile telephone 22includes the information acquisition section 232, a detection section234, the terminal control section 236, the image data acquisitionsection 238, a portable terminal storage section 240, a comparisonsection 241, a communication section 242, and a power supply 244 inaddition to the operation section 26, the microphone 27, the displaysection 210, the loudspeaker 211, and the release switch 214 previouslydescribed.

As shown in FIG. 8, the camera unit 24 is attached to the female screwpart 16 of the mobile telephone 22 (first housing 28), the connector 24c of the camera unit 24 engages with the connector 222 of the wiringboard 220, and the information acquisition section 232, the terminalcontrol section 236, and the image data acquisition section 238 areconnected to the camera control section 230 of the camera unit 24 ascircuitry. When the camera unit 24 is attached to the mobile telephone22, the power supply 244 is connected to the camera unit 24 forsupplying a current thereto in addition to the circuitry in the mobiletelephone 22.

When the camera unit 24 is attached to the mobile telephone 22 as shownin FIG. 8 although not shown in FIG. 9, the detection section 234detects the camera unit 24 being attached to the mobile telephone 22 andcontinuously outputs an attachment signal to the effect that the cameraunit 24 has been attached to the terminal control section 236, as shownin FIG. 10.

If the cover unit 224 is attached to the female screw part 216 of thefirst housing 28 as shown in FIG. 9 or if nothing is attached to thefemale screw part 216 of the first housing 28 although not shown, thedetection section 234 does not output an attachment signal to theterminal control section 236. An optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, amechanical switch, or the like can be used as the detection section 234for performing the operation.

Upon reception of an instruction from the terminal control section 236,the information acquisition section 232 of the mobile telephone 22 shownin FIG. 10 outputs a signal to the camera control section 230 forrequesting the camera control section 230 to transfer (output) theaddress information in the camera storage section 228.

That is, the information acquisition section 232 reads the addressinformation in the camera storage section 228 through the camera controlsection 230. The information acquisition section 232 stores the readaddress information in an address information temporary storing area 246a of a terminal storage section 240 later described with reference toFIG. 11.

The terminal storage section 240 is made up of volatile SDRAM 246(Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) and nonvolatile flash memory248 whose storage contents can be rewritten, as shown in FIG. 11. TheSDRAM 246 is provided with the address information temporary storingarea 246 a, and the flash memory 248 is provided with an addressinformation continuous storing area 248 a.

The terminal storage section 240 immediately stores the addressinformation received from the information acquisition section 232 in theaddress information temporary storing area 246 a of the SDRAM 246 andalso outputs the address information stored in the address informationtemporary storing area 246 a and the address information stored in theaddress information continuous storing area 248 a of the flash memory248 to the comparison section 241, as shown in FIG. 10.

Here, the address information stored in the address informationcontinuous storing area 248 a of the flash memory 248 is addressinformation stored by performing the processing operation of theterminal control section 236 as described later.

Upon reception of the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area 246 a of the SDRAM 246 and theaddress information stored in the address information continuous storingarea 248 a of the flash memory 248 from the terminal storage section240, the comparison section 241 compares them to determine whether ornot they differ, and outputs the comparison result to the terminalcontrol section 236.

The communication section 242 enables the mobile telephone to connect toa network such as a public switched phone network by conducting radiocommunications with the nearest base station (not shown). Conversationcommunications may be conducted using the microphone 27 and theloudspeaker 211.

The communication section 242 reads the address information stored inthe address information temporary storing area 246 a of the SDRAM 246 ofthe terminal storage section 240 based on an instruction from theterminal control section 236, starts communications with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information, andacquires camera control information and a control program from thecommunication destination.

The communication section 242 stores the acquired camera controlinformation and control program in a camera control information area 248b and a program area 248 c of the flash memory 248 of the terminalstorage section 240 respectively, as shown in FIG. 11.

Here, the camera control information refers to control informationconcerning image processing of AE processing, AWB processing, etc.,optimized for the camera unit 24 connected to the mobile telephone 22,and also contains the image brightness reference value, the shutter MAXvalue, the gain MAX value, etc.

When conversation communications are conducted using the microphone 27and the loudspeaker 211 shown in FIG. 10, if the communication section242 is instructed by the terminal control section 236 to conductcommunications with the communication destination indicated by theaddress information stored in the address information temporary storingarea 246 a, the communication section 242 starts communications with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information aftercompletion of the conversation communications.

Next, the terminal control section 36 determines whether or not thecamera unit 24 is attached to the mobile telephone 22 based on whetheror not an attachment signal is received from the detection section 234.If the user operates the operation section 26 to start a camera modewith the camera unit 24 attached to the mobile telephone 22, theterminal control section 236 instructs the information acquisitionsection 232 to perform predetermined processing operation.

Upon reception of the comparison result from the comparison section 241indicating that the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area 246 a of the SDRAM 246 of theterminal storage section 240 and the address information stored in theaddress information continuous storing area 248 a of the flash memory248 differ, the terminal control section 236 instructs the communicationsection 242 to conduct communications with the communication destinationindicated by the address information in the address informationtemporary storing area 246 a.

Then, the terminal control section 236 changes the address informationstored in the address information continuous storing area 248 a of theflash memory 248 of the terminal storage section 240 to the same as theaddress information stored in the address information temporary storingarea 246 a of the SDRAM 246 for storage (see FIG. 11).

After the user operates the operation section 26 to start the cameramode, the terminal control section 236 controls the camera controlsection 230 of the camera unit 24 so as to perform the processingoperation based on the camera control information stored in the terminalstorage section 240.

The terminal control section 236 also instructs the image dataacquisition section 238 to perform image data processing based on thecamera control information retained in the camera control informationarea 248 b of the terminal storage section 240.

Upon reception of the instruction from the terminal control section 236,the image data acquisition section 238 calculates the data correspondingto the camera control information stored in the terminal storage section240, and selects and fetches the program, etc., corresponding to thecamera control information from among the programs, etc., stored in theterminal storage section 240. Upon reception of image data from thecamera unit 24, the image data acquisition section 238 performs imagedata processing based on the camera control information, the program,etc.

That is, the image data acquisition section 238 changes, etc., the imagedata fetch clock frequency, JPEG compression rate, electronic zoomratio, the thinning-out rate in displaying on the display section 210,etc., corresponding to the camera control information and processes theimage data.

The image data acquisition section 238 displays the image data receivedfrom the camera unit 24 or data provided by performing predeterminedprocessing for the image data on the display section 210 or stores theimage data or the data in the terminal storage section 240. The imagedata can also be stored in an external storage section (not shown) andcan also be retained in an external server through the communicationsection 242.

To store the image data in the terminal storage section 240, the imagedata acquisition section 238 once stores the image data received fromthe camera unit 24 in the image data area 246 d of the SDRAM 246 asshown in FIG. 11 and then performs JPEG compression processing for theimage data in the image data area 246 d before storage in the image dataarea 248 d of the flash memory 248.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 236,etc., after the user operates the operation section 26 of the mobiletelephone 22 to start the camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 12.

If the user operates the operation section 26 to select the camera modefrom among various functions of the mobile telephone 22, the terminalcontrol section 236 determines whether or not the camera unit 24 isattached to the mobile telephone 22 based on whether or not anattachment signal is received from the detection section 234 (stepS101).

If an attachment signal is received from the detection section 234 (YESat step S101), the camera mode is started and the process goes to stepS102. If an attachment signal is not received (NO at step S101), thecamera mode is not started and the processing operation is terminated.

At step S102 at which the camera mode is started, the terminal controlsection 236 shown in FIG. 10 instructs the information acquisitionsection 232 to read the address information in the camera storagesection 228 through the camera control section 230 of the camera unit 24and store the read address information in the address informationtemporary storing area 246 a of the SDRAM 246 of the terminal storagesection 240 shown in FIG. 11.

The comparison section 41 shown in FIG. 10 makes a comparison betweenthe address information stored in the address information temporarystoring area 246 a of the SDRAM 246 of the terminal storage section 240and the address information stored in the address information continuousstoring area 248 a of the flash memory 248 (step S103 in FIG. 12). Ifthey do not differ (NO at step S103), the process goes to step S106.

If they differ (YES at step S103), the terminal control section 236instructs the communication section 242 to start communications with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe address information temporary storing area 246 a of the SDRAM 246 ofthe terminal storage section 240 (step S104).

The communication section 242 acquires the camera control information,the control program, etc., and stores the camera control information,the control program, etc., in the camera control information area 248 b,the program area 248 c, etc., of the flash memory 248 (step S105).

At steps S106 to S109, the terminal control section 236 causes the imagedata acquisition section 238 and the camera control section 230 of thecamera unit 24 shown in FIG. 10 to perform the processing operationbased on the camera control information, the control program, etc.,stored in the flash memory 248.

That is, at step S106, preview of the display section 210 is started andthe image data of an image picked up by the image pickup section 226 ofthe camera unit 24 is subjected to predetermined image processing by thecamera control section 230 and the image data acquisition section 238for display on the display section 210 until the user operates theoperation section 26 to terminate the camera mode at step S109 (YES atstep S109).

When the user operates the release switch 214 (YES at step S107), theterminal control section 236 stores the current image data in theterminal storage section 240 (step S108). Unless the user operates theoperation section 26 to terminate the camera mode (NO at step S109), themobile telephone 22 repeats steps S107 and S108.

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 22 and the camera unit 24 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the second embodiment, even when themobile telephone 22 cannot perform the optimum processing operation fora different type of new attached camera unit 24, communications can beconducted with the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation stored in the camera storage section 228 of the camera unit24 for newly acquiring the camera control information, etc.,corresponding to the camera unit 24 from the communication destination,so that the optimum processing operation corresponding to the cameraunit 24 can be performed.

A comparison is made between the address information in the camera unit24 and the address information retained in the mobile telephone 22 andnew camera control information and control program are acquired only ifthe former address information and the latter address informationdiffer, so that the number of communication times can be minimized.

The second object of the second embodiment of the invention is toprovide a terminal camera unit system, a camera unit, and a terminal towhich and from which the camera unit can be attached and can bedetached, wherein the terminal can perform the optimum processingoperation according to a camera unit attached to the terminal.

Third Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to portableterminal camera unit system) and a mobile telephone 250 (correspondingto portable terminal) and a camera unit 252 used with the mobiletelephone camera unit system according to the third embodiment of theinvention will be explained based on FIGS. 7 to 9, 13, and 14. Partssimilar to those of the mobile telephone 22 and the camera unit 24according to the second embodiment previously described with referenceto the accompanying drawings are denoted by the same reference numeralsand a similar configuration will not be explained again.

The mobile telephone 250 according to the third embodiment differs fromthe mobile telephone 22 according to the second embodiment in that itincludes a determination section 254 in place of the detection section234 in the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 13.

An information acquisition section 256 and a terminal control section258 of the mobile telephone 250 according to the third embodiment differin part of the processing operation from the information acquisitionsection 232 and the terminal control section 236 in the secondembodiment.

That is, the information acquisition section 256 reads addressinformation from camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 252 basedon an instruction of the terminal control section 258 and then retainsthe address information unlike the information acquisition section inthe second embodiment.

Therefore, if the camera unit 252 is attached to the mobile telephone250, the information acquisition section 256 can read and retain theaddress information from the camera storage section 228 of the cameraunit 252, but if the camera unit 252 is not attached to the mobiletelephone 250, the information acquisition section 256 cannot read theaddress information for storing.

When the information acquisition section 256 can retain the addressinformation, the determination section 254 determines that the cameraunit 252 is attached to the mobile telephone 250, and outputs anattachment signal to the effect that the camera unit 252 is attached tothe mobile telephone 250 to the terminal control section 258. When theinformation acquisition section 256 cannot retain the addressinformation, no signal is output to the terminal control section 258.

When the user operates operation section 26 to start a camera mode,immediately the terminal control section 258 instructs the informationacquisition section 256 to read the address information from the camerastorage section 228 of the camera unit 252.

Upon reception of the attachment signal to the effect that the cameraunit 252 is attached to the mobile telephone 250 from the determinationsection 254, the terminal control section 258 instructs the informationacquisition section 256 to store the retained address information in theterminal storage section 240.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 258,etc., after the user operates the operation section 26 of the mobiletelephone 250 to start the camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 14.

If the user operates the operation section 26 to select the camera modefrom among various functions of the mobile telephone 250, immediatelythe information acquisition section 256 reads the address informationfrom the camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 252 based on aninstruction of the terminal control section 258 (step S201).

Upon reception of an attachment signal from the determination section254 (YES at step S202), the terminal control section 258 causes theinformation acquisition section 256 to store the address informationstored in the information acquisition section 256 in the terminalstorage section 240 and a transition to the camera mode is made and theprocess goes to step S203. If an attachment signal is not received (NOat step S202), the processing operation is terminated without making atransition to the camera mode.

The mobile telephone 250 and the camera unit 252 perform similarprocessing operation to that at steps S103 to S109 in FIG. 12 in thesecond embodiment at steps S203 to S209 after making the transition tothe camera mode.

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 250 and the camera unit 252 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the third embodiment, even when themobile telephone 250 cannot perform the optimum processing operation fora new attached camera unit 252, communications can be conducted with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 252 for newlyacquiring the camera control information, etc., corresponding to thecamera unit 252 from the communication destination, so that the portableterminal 250 can perform the optimum processing operation correspondingto the camera unit 252 as in the third embodiment.

Fourth Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to portableterminal camera unit system) and a mobile telephone 260 (correspondingto portable terminal) and a camera unit 262 used with the mobiletelephone camera unit system according to the fourth embodiment of theinvention will be explained based on FIGS. 7 to 10, 15, and 16. Partssimilar to those of the mobile telephone 22 and the camera unit 24according to the second embodiment previously described with referenceto the accompanying drawings are denoted by the same reference numeralsand a similar configuration will not be explained again.

As shown in FIG. 10, the circuit configuration of the mobile telephone260 and the camera unit 262 according to the fourth embodiment issimilar to that of the mobile telephone 22 and the camera unit 24according to the second embodiment, but the camera storage section 228of the camera unit 262 according to the fourth embodiment stores notonly address information similar to that in the second embodiment, butalso identification information corresponding to the type of camera unit262.

The terminal storage section 240 of the mobile telephone 260 is made upof SDRAM 264 and flash memory 266 as shown in FIG. 15. The SDRAM 264 isprovided not only with an address information temporary storing area 264a and an image data area 264 d similar to those in the secondembodiment, but also with an identification information temporarystoring area 264 e.

The flash memory 266 is provided not only with a camera controlinformation area 266 b, a program area 266 c, and an image data area 266d similar to those in the second embodiment, but also with anidentification information continuous storing area 266 e. The flashmemory 266 is not provided with a storage area corresponding to theaddress information continuous storing area 248 a in the secondembodiment (see FIG. 11).

The information acquisition section 232 shown in FIG. 10 reads not onlythe address information, but also the identification information fromthe camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 262 and stores theaddress information and the identification information in the terminalstorage section 240. The identification information is stored in theidentification information temporary storing area 264 e of the SDRAM 264as shown in FIG. 15.

Unlike the comparison section 241 in the second embodiment, a comparisonsection 241 in the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 10 makes a comparisonbetween the identification information stored in the identificationinformation temporary storing area 264 e of the SDRAM 264 and theidentification information stored in the identification informationcontinuous storing area 266 e of the flash memory 266 instead ofcomparing the address information.

Upon reception of the comparison result from the comparison section 241indicating that the identification information stored in theidentification information temporary storing area 264 e of the SDRAM 264shown in FIG. 15 and the identification information stored in theidentification information continuous storing area 266 e of the flashmemory 266 differ, the terminal control section 236 changes theidentification information stored in the identification informationcontinuous storing area 266 e of the flash memory 266 to the same as theidentification information in the identification information temporarystoring area 264 e of the SDRAM 264 for storage.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 260,etc., after the user operates operation section 26 of the mobiletelephone 260 to start a camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 16.

Steps S301 and S304 to S309 are performed like steps S101 and S104 toS109 in FIG. 12 in the second embodiment.

At step S302, the information acquisition section 232 reads the addressinformation and the identification information in the camera storagesection 228 through the camera control section 230 of the camera unit262 based on an instruction from the terminal control section 236 asshown in FIG. 10 and stores the address information and theidentification information in the address information temporary storingarea 264 a and the identification information temporary storing area 264e of the SDRAM 264, respectively, as shown in FIG. 15.

At step S303 in FIG. 16, the comparison section 241 makes a comparisonbetween the identification information stored in the identificationinformation temporary storing area 264 e of the SDRAM 264 of theterminal storage section 240 and the identification information storedin the identification information continuous storing area 266 e of theflash memory 266.

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 260 and the camera unit 262 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the fourth embodiment, even when themobile telephone 260 cannot perform the optimum processing operation fora new attached camera unit 262, communications can be conducted with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 262 for newlyacquiring the camera control information, etc., corresponding to thecamera unit 262 from the communication destination, so that the optimumprocessing operation corresponding to the camera unit 262 can beperformed as in the second and third embodiments.

In the fourth embodiment, by way of example, the address information isstored in the camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 262, but theinvention is not limited to it. The address information may be stored inthe terminal storage section 240 of the mobile telephone 260.

Fifth Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to portableterminal camera unit system) and a mobile telephone 2100 (correspondingto portable terminal) and a camera unit 2101 used with the mobiletelephone camera unit system according to the fifth embodiment of theinvention will be explained based on FIGS. 7 to 10 and 17. Parts similarto those of the mobile telephone 22 and the camera unit 24 according tothe second embodiment previously described with reference to theaccompanying drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and asimilar configuration will not be explained again.

As shown in FIG. 10, the circuit configuration of the mobile telephone2100 and the camera unit 2101 according to the fifth embodiment issimilar to that of the mobile telephone 22 and the camera unit 24according to the second embodiment, but the terminal storage section 240of the mobile telephone 2100 according to the fifth embodiment storesnot only address information shown in the second embodiment, but alsoportable terminal model information corresponding to the model of mobiletelephone.

The camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 2101 according to thefifth embodiment stores not only address information similar to that inthe second embodiment, but also camera model information correspondingto the model of camera unit 2101.

Further, the terminal storage section 240 of the mobile telephone 2100is made up of SDRAM 264 and flash memory 266 like the terminal storagesection previously described with reference to FIG. 15 in the fourthembodiment. In the fifth embodiment, however, the SDRAM 264 is providedwith a camera model information temporary storing area (not shown) andthe flash memory 266 is provided with a camera model information storingarea (not shown).

The information acquisition section 232 shown in FIG. 10 reads not onlythe address information, but also the camera model information from thecamera storage section 228 of the camera unit 2101 and stores theaddress information and the camera model information in the terminalstorage section 240. The camera model information is stored in thecamera model information temporary storing area of the SDRAM 264.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 236,etc., after the user operates operation section 26 of the mobiletelephone 2100 to start a camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 17.

Steps S401, S403, S404, and S407 to S410 are performed like steps S101,S103, S104, and S106 to S109 in FIG. 12 in the second embodiment.

At step S402, the information acquisition section 232 reads the addressinformation and the camera model information in the camera storagesection 228 through the camera control section 230 of the camera unit2101 based on an instruction from the terminal control section 236 asshown in FIG. 10 and stores the address information and the camera modelinformation in an address information temporary storing area 264 a ofthe SDRAM 264 and the camera model information temporary storing area(not shown).

At step S405, the communication section 242 reads the camera modelinformation stored in either the camera model information temporarystoring area of the SDRAM 264 (not shown) or the camera modelinformation storing area of the flash memory 266 (not shown) orindirectly reads the camera model information through the terminalcontrol section 236, and transmits the camera model information to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information. Thecommunication section 242 also reads the portable terminal modelinformation stored in the terminal storage section 240 and transmits theportable terminal model information to the communication destinationindicated by the address information.

Various pieces of camera control information and various controlprograms corresponding to a plurality of camera unit models and aplurality of mobile telephone models are retained in the communicationdestination indicated by the address information, and the optimum cameracontrol information and control program are selected and transmitted tothe mobile telephone 2100 in response to the camera model informationand the portable terminal model information transmitted according to aconfiguration not shown.

At step S406, the communication section 242 acquires the camera controlinformation and the control program and stores the camera controlinformation and the control program in a camera control information area266 b and a program area 266 c of the flash memory 266.

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 2100 and the camera unit 2101 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the fifth embodiment, even when themobile telephone 2100 cannot perform the optimum processing operationfor a new attached camera unit 2101, communications can be conductedwith the communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 2101 fornewly acquiring the camera control information, etc., corresponding tothe camera unit 2101 from the communication destination, so that themobile telephone 2100 can perform the optimum processing operationcorresponding to the camera unit 2101 as in the second to fourthembodiments.

Since the optimum camera control information is acquired in response tothe model of camera unit 2101 and the model of mobile telephone 2100,for example, camera units 2101 compatible with various mobile telephonesprovided by different carriers can be provided and it is not necessaryto provide transmission destinations of different addresses in responseto the type of camera unit or the model of mobile telephone.

In the third embodiment described above, the comparison section 241shown in FIG. 13 compares the address information, but may compare theidentification information as in the fourth embodiment.

In such a case, the camera storage section 228 of the camera unit 252stores not only the address information, but also the identificationinformation, the SDRAM 246 and the flash memory 248 of the terminalstorage section 240 of the mobile telephone 250 are provided with anidentification information temporary storing area and an identificationinformation continuous storing area, and the information acquisitionsection 256 reads both the address information and the identificationinformation from the camera storage section 228 and stores the addressinformation and the identification information in the terminal storagesection 240.

In the fourth embodiment described above, at step S303 in FIG. 16, thecomparison section 241 compares the identification information and ifthe identification information differs (YES at step S303), at steps S304and S305, the communication section 242 conducts communications with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe address information temporary storing area 264 a of the SDRAM 264shown in FIG. 15. However, predetermined address information may bepreviously stored in the flash memory 266 and communications may beconducted with the communication destination indicated by thepredetermined address information stored in the flash memory 266.

In the second or fifth embodiment described above, by way of example,the mobile telephone 22 or 2100 of the portable terminal camera unitsystem of the invention is provided with the detection section 234 fordetecting attachment of the camera unit 24 or 2101. However, theinvention is not limited to it. For example, the camera unit 24 or 2101may be provided with similar detection section for sending the detectionresult directly to the mobile telephone 22 or 2100 or detection sectionfor once sending the detection result to the camera unit 24 or 2101,which then sends the detection result to the mobile telephone 22 or2100.

Further, when the camera unit 24 or 2101 is attached to the mobiletelephone 22 or 2100, as the camera unit 24 or 2101 receives powersupply from the power supply 244 and is energized, the camera controlsection 230 (which may be a microcomputer, etc., for example) of thecamera unit 24 or 2101 may notify the terminal control section 236 thatthe camera unit 24 or 2101 is attached to the mobile telephone 22 or2100 through a communication pass or a port.

In the second to fifth embodiments described above, by way of example,the mobile telephone 22, 250, 260, 2100 of the portable terminal cameraunit system of the invention retains the address information in theaddress information temporary storing area 246 a, 264 a of the volatileSDRAM 246, 264 of the terminal storage section 240, but the invention isnot limited to it. The address information may be retained innonvolatile memory. For example, the address information may be retainedin storage section only for storing the address information provideduniquely in the mobile telephone 22, 250, 260, 2100 or a storage mediumsuch as a memory card that can be attached to and detached from theterminal.

In the second to fifth embodiments described above, by way of example,the portable terminal camera unit system of the invention acquires theaddress information from the camera storage section 228 through thecamera control section 230 by the information acquisition section 232,256 of the mobile telephone 22, 250, 260, 2100 as shown in FIGS. 10 and13, but the invention is not limited to it.

For example, as a different embodiment from the second to fifthembodiments described above, a camera unit 2111 may include an imageprocessing section 2112 not connected to the camera storage section 228in place of the camera control section 230 in the second embodiment andinformation acquisition section 232 of a mobile telephone 2110 mayacquire the address information directly from the camera storage section228 of the camera unit 2111 or the camera storage section 228 maydirectly provide the information acquisition section 232 with theaddress information.

Alternatively, the address information may be sent from the camerastorage section 228 of the camera unit 24 indirectly to the informationacquisition section 232 through the camera control section 230 in FIG.10 used to describe the second embodiment. The information acquisitionsection 232, 256, the comparison section 241, and the terminal storagesection 240 may be implemented as a microcomputer, etc., integral withthe terminal control section 236, 258.

In the second to fifth embodiments described above, by way of example,in the portable terminal camera unit system of the invention, the cameracontrol information and the control program acquired from the outsideare stored in the flash memory 248, 266 of the terminal storage section240 of the mobile telephone 22, 250, 260, 2100, but the invention is notlimited to it. For example, the camera unit may be provided with storagesection for storing the camera control information and the controlprogram and the camera control section 230 may control the image pickupsection 226 or the image data acquisition section 238 according to thecamera control information and the control program stored in the storagesection.

In the second to fifth embodiments described above, by way of example,in the portable terminal camera unit system of the invention, the imagedata acquisition section 238 is provided in the mobile telephone 22,250, 260, 2100 and the camera control section 230 is provided in thecamera unit 24, 252, 262, 2101, but the invention is not limited to it.The image data acquisition section 238 may be placed in the camera unit24, 252, 262, 2101; in addition, only the image pickup section 226 andthe camera storage section 228 may be placed in the camera unit 24, 252,262, 2101 and the camera control section 230 may be placed in the mobiletelephone 22, 250, 260, 2100.

In the second to fifth fourth embodiments described above, the portableterminals used with the portable terminal camera unit system of theinvention are the mobile telephones 22, 250, 260, and 2100. However, theportable terminals that can be used with the portable terminal cameraunit system of the invention are not limited to the mobile telephone 22,250, 260, 2100; for example, any other portable terminal such as a PDAincluding a communication function may be used.

Sixth to twelfth embodiments of a terminal camera unit system and aterminal and a camera unit used with the terminal camera unit systemaccording to the invention will be specifically explained based on theaccompanying drawings.

Sixth Embodiment

FIGS. 19 to 24 are drawings referenced for describing a mobile telephonecamera unit system (corresponding to terminal camera unit system) and amobile telephone 32 (corresponding to terminal) and a camera unit 34used with the mobile telephone camera unit system according to the sixthembodiment of the invention.

As shown in FIG. 19, the mobile telephone 32 according to the sixthembodiment includes a first housing 38 having an operation section 36made up of a ten-key numeric pad, etc., and a microphone 37 and a secondhousing 312 having a display section 310 such as an LCD (liquid crystaldisplay) and a loudspeaker 311, the first and second housings beingjoined to each other in a foldable manner.

The operation section 36 is placed on an operation face 38 a of thefirst housing 38. A release switch 314 for causing the camera unit 34 toperform the photographing operation is provided on a side face 38 bparallel in the length direction of the first housing 38 and adjacentwith the operation face 38 a.

Although not shown, when the first housing 38 and the second housing 312are placed in a fold state, the operation face 38 a and the display faceof the display section 310 face each other and are prevented from beingexposed to the outside.

As shown in FIG. 19, the camera unit 34 can be attached to and detachedfrom the mobile telephone 32 and the mobile telephone 32 also enablesthe user to replace the camera unit 34 with another type of camera unit.

The camera unit 34 has an image pickup device such as a CCD (not shown)and an image pickup lens 34 a, and the image pickup device is placedinside the camera unit 34. The image pickup lens 34 a is placed on oneend face of the length of the camera unit 34 on the image pickup axis ofthe image pickup device and in the image pickup axis direction and isexposed to the outside. The camera unit 34 has a male screw part 34 b(corresponding to engagement part) on the outer periphery of theintermediate part of the length in the image pickup axis direction.

A female screw part 316 (corresponding to attachment part) correspondingto the male screw part 34 b of the camera unit 34 is provided in thefirst housing 38 so as to open to the operation face 38 a. The cameraunit 34 is inserted into the female screw part 316 from the end partopposite to the end part on the side of the image pickup lens 34 a andthe male screw part 34 b and the female screw part 316 are fastened,whereby the camera unit 34 is attached to the first housing 38.

When the camera unit 34 is attached to the first housing 38, the endpart on the side of the image pickup lens 34 a in the image pickup axisdirection is fixed in a state in which the end part projects from theoperation face 38 a (see FIG. 20). Thus, the second housing 312 isformed with a recess part 318 of a predetermined shape at the positioncorresponding to the female screw part 316 on the face opposed to theoperation face 38 a of the first housing 38 when the mobile telephone isfolded, as shown in FIG. 19. The internal space of the recess part 318is formed so as to be able to house the end part on the side of theimage pickup lens 34 a projecting from the operation face 38 a of thecamera unit 4 when the first housing 38 and the second housing 312 arefolded mutually.

As shown in FIG. 20, the camera unit 34 has a connector 34 c at the endpart opposite to the end part on the side of the image pickup lens 34 ain the image pickup axis direction, and the connector 34 c engages witha connector 322 provided on a wiring board 320 in the first housing 38for conduction of electricity.

As shown in FIG. 21, if the user does not attach the camera unit 34 tothe first housing 38 because of not using the image pickup function, theuser can attach a cover unit 324 to the first housing 38 in place of thecamera unit 34.

The cover unit 324 is formed with a male screw part 324 b (correspondingto engagement part) which is the same as the male screw part 34 b of thecamera unit 34 and thus can be fastened to the female screw part 316 ofthe first housing 38 by the screw as with the camera unit 34.

Next, the circuit configuration of the mobile telephone 32 and thecamera unit 34 will be explained. FIG. 22 is a block diagram to show thecircuit configuration in a state in which the camera unit 34 is attachedto the mobile telephone 32.

The camera unit 34 includes an image pickup section 326, a camerastorage section 328, and a camera control section 330 for controllingthem. The image pickup section 326 is made up of the image pickup lens34 a previously described with reference to FIG. 19, an image pickupdevice (not shown), etc.

The camera storage section 328 shown in FIG. 22 is nonvolatile memoryfor storing address information to specify a predetermined communicationdestination (called party). For example, address information desired bythe user of the owner of the camera unit 34 can be set in the camerastorage section 328.

The address information contains not only information specifying thelocation of a home page on the Internet such as URL (Uniform ResourceLocator), but also a specific telephone number and any other notation tospecify the location of an information source that can be connected viaa communication network like specification of a specific server, etc.,connected to the communication network. URL, etc., may be incompleterepresentation of the communication destination if it can identify thecommunication destination.

If the camera control section 330 receives a signal for making a requestto transfer the address information in the camera storage section 328from an information acquisition section 332 of the mobile telephone 32(described later), the camera control section 330 performs firstprocessing operation of reading the address information from the camerastorage section 328 and outputting the address information to theinformation acquisition section 332.

If the camera control section 330 receives an instruction from aterminal control section 336 of the mobile telephone 32 (describedlater), the camera control section 330 performs second processingoperation of controlling the image pickup section 326 based on theinstruction.

The camera control section 330 also performs third processing operationof performing AE (Auto Exposure) processing or AWB (Auto White Balance)processing for RGB raw data concerning color output as data for eachpixel from the image pickup section 326 and outputting the processingresult to an image data acquisition section 338 of the mobile telephone32 (described later) based on an instruction of the terminal controlsection 336.

The AE processing refers to processing of optimizing exposure, and theAWB processing refers to processing of preventing display of white in animage from taking on any other color with reception of the effect of alight source, etc., by adjusting a red gain, a blue gain, etc.

The mobile telephone 32 includes the information acquisition section332, the terminal control section 336, the image data acquisitionsection 338, a terminal storage section 340, a communication section342, and a power supply 344 in addition to the operation section 36, themicrophone 37, the display section 310, the loudspeaker 311, and therelease switch 14 previously described.

As shown in FIG. 20, the camera unit 34 is attached to the female screwpart 316 of the mobile telephone 32 (first housing 38), the connector 34c of the camera unit 34 engages with the connector 322 of the wiringboard 320, and the information acquisition section 332, the terminalcontrol section 336, and the image data acquisition section 338 areconnected to the camera control section 330 of the camera unit 34 ascircuitry. When the camera unit 34 is attached to the mobile telephone32 the power supply 344 is connected to the camera unit 34 for supplyinga current thereto in addition to the circuitry in the mobile telephone32.

Upon reception of an instruction from the terminal control section 336,the information acquisition section 332 of the mobile telephone 32 shownin FIG. 22 outputs a signal to the camera control section 330 forrequesting the camera control section 330 to transfer (output) theaddress information in the camera storage section 328.

That is, the information acquisition section 332 reads (acquires) theaddress information in the camera storage section 328 through the cameracontrol section 330. The information acquisition section 332 outputs theread address information to the communication section 342.

The terminal storage section 340 is made up of volatile SDRAM 346(Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory) and nonvolatile flash memory348 whose storage contents can be rewritten, as shown in FIG. 23. TheSDRAM 346 is provided with an image data area 346 c, and the flashmemory 348 is provided with a program area 348 b and an image data area348 c.

After the user operates the operation section 36 for starting a cameramode, the terminal control section 336 shown in FIG. 22 causes thecamera control section 330 of the camera unit 34 to perform the secondprocessing operation of the camera control section 330 for operating theimage pickup section 326.

When the camera mode is started, the terminal control section 336instructs the image data acquisition section 338 to acquire the imagedata output from the image pickup section 326 through the camera controlsection 330 and causes the image data acquisition section 338 to performpredetermined processing operation (as described later) for the imagedata.

If the user operates the operation section 36 for terminating the cameramode during the camera mode operation, the terminal control section 336instructs the information acquisition section 332 to acquire the addressinformation in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 34.

Upon reception of an instruction from the terminal control section 336,the image data acquisition section 338 performs predetermined processingfor the image data based on a program stored in the program area 348 bof the terminal storage section 340 (see FIG. 23) and the like.

That is, the image data acquisition section 338 changes, etc., the imagedata fetch clock frequency, JPEG compression rate, electronic zoomratio, the thinning-out rate in displaying on the display section 310,etc., as shown in FIG. 22.

The image data acquisition section 338 displays the image data receivedfrom the camera unit 34 or data provided by performing predeterminedprocessing for the image data on the display section 310 or stores theimage data or the data in the terminal storage section 340. The imagedata can also be stored in external storage section (not shown).

To store the image data in the terminal storage section 340, the imagedata acquisition section 338 once stores the image data received fromthe camera unit 34 in the image data area 346 c of the SDRAM 346 asshown in FIG. 23 and then performs JPEG compression processing for theimage data in the image data area 46 c before storage in the image dataarea 348 c of the flash memory 348.

The communication section 342 shown in FIG. 22 enables the mobiletelephone to connect to a network such as a public switched phonenetwork by conducting radio communications with the nearest base station(not shown) Conversation communications may be conducted using themicrophone 37 and the loudspeaker 311.

The communication section 342 starts communications with thecommunication destination indicated by the address information receivedfrom the information acquisition section 332 based on an instructionfrom the terminal control section 336, and reads and transmits the imagedata in the image data area 348 c of the flash memory 348 of the storagesection 340 shown in FIG. 23.

When conversation communications are conducted using the microphone 37and the loudspeaker 311 shown in FIG. 22, if the communication section342 is instructed by the terminal control section 336 to transmit theimage data to the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation acquired by the information acquisition section 332, thecommunication section 342 starts communications with the communicationdestination indicated by the address information and transmits the imagedata in the terminal storage section 340 after completion of theconversation communications.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 336,etc., after the user operates the operation section 36 of the mobiletelephone 32 to start the camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 24.

If the user operates the operation section 36 shown in FIG. 22 to selectthe camera mode from among various functions of the mobile telephone 32,the terminal control section 336 starts the camera mode. If the cameraunit 34 is not attached to the mobile telephone 32, the camera modecannot be started and therefore the processing operation according tothe flowchart of FIG. 24 is not performed.

After the mode makes a transition to the camera mode, preview of thedisplay section 310 is started and the image data of an image picked upby the image pickup section 326 of the camera unit 34 is subjected topredetermined image processing by the camera control section 330 and theimage data acquisition section 338 for display on the display section310 until the user operates the operation section 36 to terminate thecamera mode at step S1102 (YES at step S1102).

Unless the user operates the operation section 36 to terminate thecamera mode (YES at step S1102), the terminal control section 336 storesthe current image data in the terminal storage section 340 correspondingto operation of the release switch 314 (step S1101).

When the user operates the operation section 36 to terminate the cameramode (YES at step S1102), the terminal control section 336 instructs theinformation acquisition section 332 to acquire the address informationin the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 34 as shown in FIG.22 (step S1103 in FIG. 24).

The terminal control section 336 causes the communication section 342 totransmit the image data stored in the image data area 348 c of the flashmemory 348 shown in FIG. 23 to the communication destination indicatedby the address information acquired by the information acquisitionsection 332 (step S1104).

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 32 and the camera unit 34 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the sixth embodiment, the image dataobtained by the camera unit 34 is always transmitted to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 328, so that the photographed image can beprevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will.

For example, if the user of the owner of the camera unit 34 takes aphotograph using the mobile telephone 32 owned by another person, whenthe user of the owner of the camera unit 34 transmits the imagephotographed by him or her, the user can reliably transmit the image tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 34, so thatthe photographed image can be prevented from dispersing against user'swill.

The third object of the sixth embodiment of the invention is to providea terminal camera unit system, a camera unit, and a terminal to whichand from which the camera unit can be attached and can be detached,wherein a photographed image is prevented from leaking or dispersingagainst the user's will.

Seventh Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to terminalcamera unit system) and a mobile telephone 350 (corresponding toterminal) and a camera unit 352 used with the mobile telephone cameraunit system according to the seventh embodiment of the invention will beexplained based on FIGS. 19 to 21 and FIGS. 23 to 25. Parts similar tothose of the mobile telephone 32 and the camera unit 34 according to thesixth embodiment previously described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and a similarconfiguration, similar processing operation, etc., will not be explainedagain.

In the sixth embodiment, the camera control section 330 shown in FIG. 22performs the first processing operation of outputting the addressinformation in the camera storage section 328 to the informationacquisition section 332, the second processing operation of controllingthe image pickup section 326 based on the instruction of the terminalcontrol section 336, and the third processing operation of outputtingthe image data provided by performing the predetermined processing forthe RGB raw data output from the image pickup section 326 to the imagedata acquisition section 338.

In contrast, in the seventh embodiment, the camera unit 352 includes aninformation output section 330 a for performing only the firstprocessing operation performed by the camera control section 330 in thesixth embodiment, an image pickup control section 330 b for performingonly the second processing operation, and an image processing section330 c for performing only the third processing operation in place of thecamera control section 330, as shown in FIG. 25.

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 350 and the camera unit 352 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the seventh embodiment, the image dataobtained by the camera unit 352 is always transmitted to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored ina camera storage section 328, so that the photographed image can beprevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will as in the sixthembodiment.

For example, if the user of the owner of the camera unit 352 takes aphotograph using the mobile telephone 350 owned by another person, whenthe user of the owner of the camera unit 352 transmits the imagephotographed by him or her, the user can reliably transmit the image tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 352, so thatthe photographed image can be prevented from dispersing against user'swill as in the sixth embodiment.

In the seventh embodiment, the image pickup control section 330 bperforms the second processing operation of the camera control section330 in the sixth embodiment, but a terminal control section 336 of themobile telephone 350 can also perform the second processing operation sothat the image pickup control section 330 b is not provided.

In the eighth to twelfth embodiments described later, the camera controlsection 330 can also be replaced with an information output section 330a, an image pickup control section 330 b, and an image processingsection 330 c as in the seventh embodiment, and a terminal controlsection 336 can perform the second processing operation performed by theimage pickup control section 330 b in place of the image pickup controlsection 330 b.

Eighth Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to terminalcamera unit system) and a mobile telephone 360 (corresponding toterminal) and a camera unit 362 used with the mobile telephone cameraunit system according to the eighth embodiment of the invention will beexplained based on FIGS. 19 to 21 and FIGS. 26 to 28. Parts similar tothose of the mobile telephone 32 and the camera unit 34 according to thesixth embodiment previously described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and a similarconfiguration will not be explained again.

The mobile telephone 360 according to the eighth embodiment differs fromthe mobile telephone 32 according to the sixth embodiment in that itincludes a first comparison section 364, as shown in FIG. 26.

Unlike the information acquisition section 332 in the sixth embodiment,after reading address information in a camera storage section 328through a camera control section 330 based on an instruction from aterminal control section 336, an information acquisition section 332 inthe eighth embodiment stores the address information in an addressinformation temporary storing area 346 a of a terminal storage section340 later described with reference to FIG. 27.

SDRAM 346 of the terminal storage section 340 is provided with theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a in addition to an imagedata area 46 c similar to that in the sixth embodiment, and flash memory348 is provided with an address information continuous storing area 348a in addition to a program area 348 b and an image data area 348 c, asshown in FIG. 27.

The terminal storage section 340 immediately stores the addressinformation received from the information acquisition section 332 in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 andalso outputs the address information stored in the address informationtemporary storing area 346 a and the address information stored in theaddress information continuous storing area 348 a of the flash memory348 to the first comparison section 364, as shown in FIG. 26.

Here, the address information stored in the address informationcontinuous storing area 348 a of the flash memory 348 is addressinformation stored by performing the processing operation of theterminal control section 336 as described later.

Upon reception of the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 and theaddress information stored in the address information continuous storingarea 348 a of the flash memory 348 from the terminal storage section340, the first comparison section 364 compares them to determine whetheror not they differ, and outputs the comparison result to the terminalcontrol section 336.

Upon reception of an instruction from the terminal control section 336as described later, the communication section 342, unlike thecommunication section 342 in the sixth embodiment, reads the addressinformation stored in either the address information temporary storingarea 346 a of the SDRAM 346 or the address information continuousstoring area 348 a of the flash memory 348 shown in FIG. 27 andtransmits the image data stored in the image data area 348 c of theflash memory 348 (see FIG. 27) to the communication destinationindicated by the address information.

Next, upon reception of the comparison result from the first comparisonsection 364 indicating that the address information stored in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 of theterminal storage section 340 and the address information stored in theaddress information continuous storing area 348 a of the flash memory348 differ, the terminal control section 336 shown in FIG. 26 instructsthe communication section 342 to transmit the image data in the imagedata area 348 c to the communication destination indicated by theaddress information in the address information temporary storing area346 a.

Then, the terminal control section 336 changes the address informationstored in the address information continuous storing area 348 a of theflash memory 348 of the terminal storage section 340 to the same as theaddress information stored in the address information temporary storingarea 346 a of the SDRAM 346 for storage (see FIG. 27).

Upon reception of the comparison result from the first comparisonsection 364 indicating that the address information stored in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 of theterminal storage section 340 and the address information stored in theaddress information continuous storing area 348 a of the flash memory348 match, the terminal control section 336 instructs the communicationsection 342 to transmit the image data in the image data area 348 c tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationcontinuous storing area 348 a.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 336,etc., after the user operates operation section 36 of the mobiletelephone 360 to start a camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 28.

The processing operation to step S1202 after the processing operation inthe flowchart of FIG. 28 is started is performed like the processingoperation to step S1102 in FIG. 24 in the sixth embodiment.

When the camera mode is terminated (YES at step S1202 in FIG. 28),processing for transmitting image data is started at step S1203. At stepS1203, the terminal control section 336 shown in FIG. 26 instructs aninformation acquisition section 332 to read the address information inthe camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 362 and store the readaddress information in the address information temporary storing area346 a of the SDRAM 346 of the terminal storage section 340 shown in FIG.27.

The first comparison section 364 shown in FIG. 26 makes a comparisonbetween the address information stored in the address informationtemporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 and the addressinformation stored in the address information continuous storing area348 a of the flash memory 348 (see FIG. 27) (step S1204 in FIG. 28).

If they differ (YES at step S1204), the terminal control section 36changes the address information stored in the address informationcontinuous storing area 348 a of the flash memory 348 of the terminalstorage section 340 shown in FIG. 27 to the same as the addressinformation stored in the address information temporary storing area 346a of the SDRAM 346 for storage at step S1205.

The terminal control section 336 shown in FIG. 26 instructs thecommunication section 342 to transmit the image data in the image dataarea 348 c to the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation stored in the address information temporary storing area 346a shown in FIG. 27 (step S1206 in FIG. 28).

If the address information stored in the address information temporarystoring area 346 a shown in FIG. 27 and the address information storedin the address information continuous storing area 348 a match (NO atstep S1204 in FIG. 28), the terminal control section 336 causes thecommunication section 342 to transmit the image data in the image dataarea 348 c to the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation stored in the address information continuous storing area348 a shown in FIG. 27 (step S1207 in FIG. 28).

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 360 and the camera unit 362 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the eighth embodiment, the image dataobtained by the camera unit 362 is always transmitted to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 328, so that the photographed image can beprevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will as in the sixthand seventh embodiments.

For example, if the user of the owner of the camera unit 362 takes aphotograph using the mobile telephone 360 owned by another person, whenthe user of the owner of the camera unit 362 transmits the imagephotographed by him or her, the user can reliably transmit the image tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 362, so thatthe photographed image can be prevented from dispersing against user'swill as in the sixth and seventh embodiments.

Ninth Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to terminalcamera unit system) and a mobile telephone 370 (corresponding toterminal) and a camera unit 372 used with the mobile telephone cameraunit system according to the ninth embodiment of the invention will beexplained based on FIGS. 19 to 21 and FIGS. 29 to 31. Parts similar tothose of the mobile telephone 360 and the camera unit 362 according tothe eighth embodiment previously described with reference to theaccompanying drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and asimilar configuration will not be explained again.

The mobile telephone 370 according to the ninth embodiment differs fromthe mobile telephone 360 according to the eighth embodiment in that itincludes a second comparison section 374, as shown in FIG. 29.

SDRAM 346 of a terminal storage section 340 is provided with an inputaddress temporary storing area 346 d in addition to an addressinformation temporary storing area 46 a and an image data area 346 csimilar to those in the eighth embodiment.

The address on the network entered by the user through an operationsection 36 is stored in the input address temporary storing area 346 dof the SDRAM 346 by performing processing operation of a terminalcontrol section 336 as described later.

When the address is stored in the input address temporary storing area346 d as the terminal control section 336 performs the processingoperation, immediately the terminal storage section 340 outputs theaddress stored in the input address temporary storing area 346 d and theaddress information stored in the address information temporary storingarea 346 a to the second comparison section 374 shown in FIG. 29.

Upon reception of the address stored in the input address temporarystoring area 346 d and the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area 346 a from the terminal storagesection 340, the second comparison section 374 compares them todetermine whether or not they differ, and outputs the comparison resultto the terminal control section 336.

Upon reception of the comparison result from the second comparisonsection 374 indicating that the address stored in the input addresstemporary storing area 346 d and the address information stored in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a match, the terminalcontrol section 336 instructs a communication section 342 to transmitthe image data in the image data area 348 c to the communicationdestination indicated by the address information in the addressinformation temporary storing area 346 a.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 336,etc., after the user operates the operation section 36 of the mobiletelephone 370 to start a camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 31.

The processing operation to step S1305 after the processing operation inthe flowchart of FIG. 31 is started is performed like the processingoperation to step S1205 in FIG. 28 in the eighth embodiment.

If a first comparison section 364 determines that the addressinformation stored in the address information temporary storing area 346a of the SDRAM 346 of the terminal storage section 340 and the addressinformation stored in the address information continuous storing area348 a of the flash memory 348 match (No at step S1304 in FIG. 31), theprocess goes to step S1306 unlike the flow in the eighth embodiment.

At step S1306, the terminal control section 336 causes a display section310 to display a prompt for requesting the user to enter the address ofthe transmission destination. If the user enters the address of thetransmission destination through the operation section 36 at step S1306,the terminal control section 336 stores the address in the input addresstemporary storing area 346 d of the SDRAM 346 of the terminal storagesection 340 (see FIG. 30) (step S1307 in FIG. 31).

The second comparison section 374 shown in FIG. 29 makes a comparisonbetween the address stored in the input address temporary storing area346 d and the address information stored in the address informationtemporary storing area 346 a at step S1303 (step S1308 in FIG. 31). Ifthey match (YES at S308), the terminal control section 336 causes thecommunication section 342 to transmit the image data in the image dataarea 348 c to the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation stored in the address information temporary storing area 346a shown in FIG. 30 at step S1309.

If the address stored in the input address temporary storing area 346 dand the address information stored in the address information temporarystoring area 346 a at step S1303 differ (NO at step S1308 in FIG. 31),the terminal control section 336 does not cause the communicationsection 342 to transmit the image data and terminates the processingoperation sequence.

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 370 and the camera unit 372 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the ninth embodiment, the image dataobtained by the camera unit 372 is always transmitted to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 328, so that the photographed image can beprevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will as in the sixthto eighth embodiments.

For example, if the user of the owner of the camera unit 372 takes aphotograph using the mobile telephone 370 owned by another person, whenthe user of the owner of the camera unit 372 transmits the imagephotographed by him or her, the user can reliably transmit the image tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 372, so thatthe photographed image can be prevented from dispersing against user'swill as in the sixth to eighth embodiments.

If a third person other than the user injuriously attaches the cameraunit 372 owned by the user to the mobile telephone 370 of the thirdperson and takes a photograph, unless the third person enters the sameaddress as the address information retained in the camera unit 372 justbefore transmitting the image data with the camera mode terminated, theimage data cannot be transmitted, so that transmitting the image notrequired for the user of the owner of the camera unit 372 can beprevented.

Tenth Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to terminalcamera unit system) and a mobile telephone 380 (corresponding toterminal) and a camera unit 382 used with the mobile telephone cameraunit system according to the tenth embodiment of the invention will beexplained based on FIGS. 19 to 21 and FIGS. 32 and 33. Parts similar tothose of the mobile telephone 360 and the camera unit 362 according tothe eighth embodiment previously described with reference to theaccompanying drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and asimilar configuration will not be explained again.

The mobile telephone 380 according to the tenth embodiment differs fromthe mobile telephone 360 according to the eighth embodiment in that itincludes a detection section 384, as shown in FIG. 32. When the cameraunit 382 is attached to a first housing 38 of the mobile telephone 380as shown in FIG. 20 although not shown in FIG. 21, the detection section384 detects the camera unit 382 being attached to the first housing 38and outputs an attachment signal to the effect that the camera unit 382has been attached to a terminal control section 336, as shown in FIG.32. An optical sensor, a magnetic sensor, a mechanical switch, or thelike can be used as the detection section 384 for performing theoperation.

The terminal control section 336 in the eighth embodiment instructs theinformation acquisition section 332 to acquire the address informationin the camera storage section 328 when the camera mode is terminated. Incontrast, the terminal control section 336 in the tenth embodimentinstructs the information acquisition section 332 to acquire the addressinformation in the camera storage section 328 upon reception of theattachment signal to the effect that the camera unit 382 has beenattached from the detection section 384. Thus, if the camera unit 382 islost, another person cannot use the camera unit 382 and therefore it isconsidered that the camera unit 382 will be often returned to the ownerof the camera unit 382.

The terminal control section 336 in the eighth embodiment causes thecommunication section 342 to transmit the image data after reception ofthe result indicating whether or not the address information stored inthe address information temporary storing area 346 a shown in FIG. 27and the address information stored in the address information continuousstoring area 348 a differ from the first comparison section 364. Incontrast, the terminal control section 336 in the tenth embodimentstarts the camera mode after receiving the result from the firstcomparison section 364 and before causing the communication section 342to transmit image data.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 336,etc., after the camera unit 382 is attached to the mobile telephone 380will be explained based on a flowchart of FIG. 33.

Upon reception of the attachment signal to the effect that the cameraunit 382 has been, attached to the mobile telephone 380 from thedetection section 384 (YES at step S1401), the terminal control section336 instructs the information acquisition section 332 to acquire theaddress information from the camera storage section 328 of the cameraunit 382 as shown in FIG. 32 and store the acquired address informationin an address information temporary storing area 346 a of SDRAM 346 ofterminal storage section 340 as shown in FIG. 27 (step S1402 in FIG.33).

The first comparison section 364 shown in FIG. 32 makes a comparisonbetween the address information stored in the address informationtemporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 of the terminal storagesection 340 shown in FIG. 27 and the address information stored in anaddress information continuous storing area 348 a of flash memory 348shown in FIG. 32 (step S1403 in FIG. 33).

If they differ (YES at step S1403), the terminal control section 336changes the address information stored in the address informationcontinuous storing area 348 a of the flash memory 348 of the terminalstorage section 340 to the same as the address information stored in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 forstorage at step S1404 (see FIG. 27).

Then, the terminal control section 336 starts the camera mode at stepS1405. The user can take a photograph during the operation in the cameramode (step S1406). When the camera mode is terminated (step S1407), theterminal control section 336 instructs the communication section 342 totransmit the image data in an image data area 348 c photographed at stepS1406 to the communication destination indicated by the addressinformation stored in the address information temporary storing area 346a shown in FIG. 27 (step S1408 in FIG. 33).

If the address information stored in the address information temporarystoring area 346 a shown in FIG. 27 and the address information storedin the address information continuous storing area 348 a match (No atstep S1403 in FIG. 33), the process goes to step S1409.

At step S1409, the camera mode is automatically started as at stepS1405, and the user can take a photograph (step S1410). After theoperation in the camera mode is terminated at step S1411, the terminalcontrol section 336 causes the communication section 342 to transmit theimage data in the image data area 348 c photographed at step S1410 tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the address information temporary storing area 346 a shown inFIG. 27 (step S1412 in FIG. 33).

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 380 and the camera unit 382 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the tenth embodiment, the image dataobtained by the camera unit 382 is always transmitted to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 328, so that the photographed image can beprevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will as in the sixthto ninth embodiments.

For example, if the user of the owner of the camera unit 382 takes aphotograph using the mobile telephone 380 owned by another person, whenthe user of the owner of the camera unit 382 transmits the imagephotographed by him or her, the user can reliably transmit the image tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 382, so thatthe photographed image can be prevented from dispersing against user'swill as in the sixth to ninth embodiments.

If the camera unit 382 attached to the mobile telephone 380 is replacedand the address information indicating the transmission destination ofthe image data needs to be changed to different address information, thedetection section 384 of the mobile telephone 380 detects replacement ofthe camera unit 382, etc., and automatically changes the addressinformation, etc., so that it is made possible to reliably transmit theimage data obtained by a specific camera unit only to a specifictransmission destination.

Eleventh Embodiment

Next, a mobile telephone camera unit system (corresponding to terminalcamera unit system) and a mobile telephone 390 (corresponding toterminal) and a camera unit 392 used with the mobile telephone cameraunit system according to the eleventh embodiment of the invention willbe explained based on FIGS. 19 to 21 and FIGS. 34 to 36. Parts similarto those of the mobile telephone 360 and the camera unit 362 accordingto the eighth embodiment previously described with reference to theaccompanying drawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and asimilar configuration will not be explained again.

In the camera unit 392 according to the eleventh embodiment, camerastorage section 328 shown in FIG. 34 stores not only address informationsimilar to that in the eighth embodiment, but also identificationinformation that can be set by the user.

SDRAM 346 of terminal storage section 340 of the mobile telephone 390 isprovided not only with an address information temporary storing area 346a and an image data area 346 c similar to those in the eighthembodiment, but also with an identification information temporarystoring area 346 e, as shown in FIG. 35.

Flash memory 348 is provided not only with an address informationcontinuous storing area 348 a, a program area 348 b, and an image dataarea 348 c similar to those in the eighth embodiment, but also with anidentification information continuous storing area 348 e.

Information acquisition section 332 shown in FIG. 34 can acquire notonly the address information, but also the identification informationfrom the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 392, and storesthe address information and the identification information in theterminal storage section 340. The identification information acquired bythe information acquisition section 332 is stored in the identificationinformation temporary storing area 346 e of the SDRAM 346, as shown inFIG. 35.

In the eighth embodiment, the mobile telephone 360 includes the firstcomparison section 364 (see FIG. 26). In contrast, in the eleventhembodiment, the mobile telephone 390 includes third comparison section394 in place of the first comparison section 364, as shown in FIG. 34.The first comparison section 364 according to the eighth embodimentmakes a comparison between one piece of address information and another;while, the third comparison section 394 according to the eleventhembodiment makes a comparison between the identification informationstored in the identification information temporary storing area 346 e ofthe SDRAM 346 shown in FIG. 35 and the identification information storedin the identification information continuous storing area 348 e of theflash memory 348.

The identification information stored in the identification informationcontinuous storing area 348 e of the flash memory 348 is stored byperforming processing operation of terminal control section 336 asdescribed later.

After a camera mode is started, if the user terminates the camera mode,the terminal control section 336 instructs the information acquisitionsection 332 to acquire the identification information in the camerastorage section 328 of the camera unit 392.

Upon reception of the result from the third comparison section 394indicating that the identification information stored in theidentification information temporary storing area 346 e of the SDRAM 346shown in FIG. 35 and the identification information stored in theidentification information continuous storing area 348 e of the flashmemory 348 differ, the terminal control section 336 shown in FIG. 34instructs the information acquisition section 332 to acquire the addressinformation in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 392 andalso store the address information in the address information temporarystoring area 346 a of the SDRAM 346.

The address information stored in the address information continuousstoring area 348 a of the flash memory 348 and the identificationinformation stored in the identification information continuous storingarea 348 e are changed to the same as the address information in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 andthe identification information in the identification informationtemporary storing area 346 e, respectively, for storage.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 336,etc., after the user operates operation section 36 of the mobiletelephone 390 to start the camera mode will be explained based on aflowchart of FIG. 36.

The processing operation to step S1502 after the processing operation inthe flowchart of FIG. 36 is started is performed like the processingoperation to step S1202 in FIG. 28 in the eighth embodiment.

At step S1503 after the camera mode is terminated (YES at step S1502 inFIG. 36), the terminal control section 336 shown in FIG. 34 instructsthe information acquisition section 332 to read the identificationinformation in the camera storage section 328 and store the readidentification information in the identification information temporarystoring area 346 e of the SDRAM 346 of the terminal storage section 340shown in FIG. 35.

At step S1504 in FIG. 36, the terminal storage section 340 outputs theidentification information stored in the identification informationtemporary storing area 346 e of the SDRAM 346 and the identificationinformation stored in the identification information continuous storingarea 348 e of the flash memory 348 to the third comparison section 394shown in FIG. 34, and the third comparison section 394 compares them.

If they differ (YES at step S1504 in FIG. 36), at step S1505, theterminal control section 336 instructs the information acquisitionsection 332 to acquire the address information in the camera storagesection 328 of the camera unit 392 and also store the addressinformation in the address information temporary storing area 346 a ofthe SDRAM 346.

The address information stored in the address information continuousstoring area 348 a of the flash memory 348 and the identificationinformation stored in the identification information continuous storingarea 348 e are changed to the same as the address information in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 andthe identification information in the identification informationtemporary storing area 346 e, respectively, for storage (step S1506 inFIG. 36).

The terminal control section 336 causes the communication section 342 totransmit the image data in the image data area 348 c to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe address information temporary storing area 346 a shown in FIG. 35(step S1507 in FIG. 36).

If the identification information stored in the identificationinformation temporary storing area 46 e shown in FIG. 35 and theidentification information stored in the identification informationcontinuous storing area 348 e match (NO at step S1504 in FIG. 36), theterminal control section 336 causes the communication section 342 totransmit the image data in the image data area 348 c to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe address information continuous storing area 348 a shown in FIG. 35(step S1508 in FIG. 36).

According to the mobile telephone camera unit system and the mobiletelephone 390 and the camera unit 392 used with the mobile telephonecamera unit system according to the eleventh embodiment, the image dataobtained by the camera unit 392 is always transmitted to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 328, so that the photographed image can beprevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will as in the sixthto tenth embodiments.

For example, if the user of the owner of the camera unit 392 takes aphotograph using the mobile telephone 390 owned by another person, whenthe user of the owner of the camera unit 392 transmits the imagephotographed by him or her, the user can reliably transmit the image tothe communication destination indicated by the address informationstored in the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 392, so thatthe photographed image can be prevented from dispersing against user'swill as in the sixth to tenth embodiments.

Twelfth Embodiment

Next, a camera unit system for monitor camera (corresponding to terminalcamera unit system) and a monitor camera main body 3100 (correspondingto terminal) and a camera unit 3102 used with the camera unit system formonitor camera according to the twelfth embodiment of the invention willbe explained based on FIGS. 23, 37, and 38. Parts similar to those ofthe mobile telephone 32 and the camera unit 34 according to the sixthembodiment previously described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings are denoted by the same reference numerals and a similarconfiguration will not be explained again.

The appearances, etc., of the monitor camera main body 3100 and thecamera unit 3102 according to the twelfth embodiment are not shown; thecamera unit 3102 can be attached to and detached from the monitor cameramain body 3100 and can be replaced as with the mobile telephone 32 andthe camera unit 34 according to the sixth embodiment. The monitor cameramain body 3100 according to the twelfth embodiment can be installed in astore, a factory, a building, etc., but can also be installed in anyother place.

The monitor camera main body 3100 according to the twelfth embodimentdiffers from the mobile telephone 32 according to the sixth embodimentin that it does not include the release switch 314, as shown in FIG. 37.When the camera unit 3102 is attached to the monitor camera main body3100 for conduction of electricity with camera control section 330,information acquisition section 332 acquires address information storedin camera storage section 328.

Next, the processing operation of the terminal control section 336,etc., after the camera unit 3102 is attached to the monitor camera mainbody 3100 will be explained based on a flowchart of FIG. 38.

When the camera unit 3102 is attached to the monitor camera main body3100 (step S1601), the information acquisition section 332 acquires theaddress information stored in the camera storage section 328 and outputsthe acquired address information to the communication section 342 asshown in FIG. 37 (step S1602 in FIG. 38).

The communication section 342 starts communicating with thecommunication destination indicted by the address information receivedfrom the information acquisition section 332 (step S1603) and continuescommunicating until the user terminates the communications (YES at stepS1606).

When communications are started at step S1603, the terminal controlsection 336 controls so as to repeat steps S604 and S605 everypredetermined time until the user terminates the communications (YES atstep S1606).

At step S1604, the terminal control section 336 instructs the image dataacquisition section 338 to store the image data received from the cameraunit 3102 or data provided by performing predetermined processing forthe image data in terminal storage section 340.

Here, the image data stored in terminal storage section 340 is oncestored in image data area 346 c of SDRAM 346 shown in FIG. 23 and thenthe image data acquisition section 338 performs JPEG compressionprocessing for the image data in the image data area 346 c beforestorage in image data area 348 c of flash memory 348 as in the sixthembodiment, as shown in FIG. 37.

The terminal control section 336 instructs the communication section 342to transmit the image data stored in the image data area 348 c of theflash memory 348 to the communication destination communicating with(step S1605 in FIG. 38).

According to the camera unit system for monitor camera and the monitorcamera main body 3100 and the camera unit 3102 used with the camera unitsystem for monitor camera according to the embodiment, the image dataobtained by the camera unit 3102 is always transmitted to thecommunication destination indicated by the address information stored inthe camera storage section 328, so that the photographed image can beprevented from leaking or dispersing against user's will as in the sixthto eleventh embodiments.

In the tenth embodiment described above, the acquired addressinformation is compared at steps S1402 and S1403 in the flowchart ofFIG. 33, but the identification information may be compared as in theeleventh embodiment described above.

In such a case, third comparison section is provided in place of thefirst comparison section 364 shown in FIG. 32 and the terminal storagesection 340 is provided with identification information temporarystoring area 346 e and identification information continuous storingarea 348 e. Steps S1505 and S1506 shown in FIG. 36 are executed in placeof step S1404 in the flowchart of FIG. 33.

In the tenth embodiment described above, the image data is transmittedat step S1408 just after the camera mode is terminated at step S1407 inthe flowchart of FIG. 33, but steps S1306 to S1309 in FIG. 31 as in theninth embodiment may be executed in place of the step S1408.

That is, the image data may be transmitted only if the address enteredby the user matches the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 of theterminal storage section 340.

To execute steps S1306 to S1309 in FIG. 31 as in the ninth embodiment,second comparison section 374 similar to the second comparison section374 in the ninth embodiment (see FIG. 29) is provided and the terminalstorage section 340 is provided with the input address temporary storingarea 346 d (see FIG. 30).

In the eleventh embodiment described above, if the identificationinformation differs (YES at step S1504) in the flowchart of FIG. 36, theimage data is transmitted at the later step S1507, but steps S1306 toS1309 in FIG. 31 in the ninth embodiment may be executed in place of thestep S1507.

That is, the image data may be transmitted only if the address enteredby the user matches the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area 346 a of the SDRAM 346 of theterminal storage section 340.

To execute steps S1306 to S1309 in FIG. 31 as in the ninth embodiment,second comparison section 374 similar to the second comparison section374 in the ninth embodiment (see FIG. 29) is provided and the terminalstorage section 340 is provided with the input address temporary storingarea 346 d (see FIG. 30).

In the twelfth embodiment described above, at steps S1601 and S1602 inthe flowchart of FIG. 38, when the camera unit 3102 is attached to themonitor camera main body 3100 for conduction of electricity with thecamera control section 330, the information acquisition section 332acquires the address information stored in the camera storage section328. However, the monitor camera main body 3100 may be provided withdetection section 384 similar to the detection section 384 in the tenthembodiment and attachment of the camera unit 3102 is detected, theinformation acquisition section 332 may acquire the address informationbased on the detection.

In the twelfth embodiment described above, the information acquisitionsection 332 outputs the acquired address information to thecommunication section 342 as shown in FIG. 37. However, first comparisonsection 364 may be provided and the terminal storage section 340 mayhave address information temporary storing area 346 a and addressinformation continuous storing area 348 a and the address informationacquired by the information acquisition section 332 may be stored in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a.

In such a case, the acquired address information can be stored in theaddress information temporary storing area 346 a at step S1602 in theflowchart of FIG. 38 and address information comparison as at step S1204in FIG. 28 in the eighth embodiment described above can be executed justafter the step S1602.

In the comparison, if the address information stored in the addressinformation temporary storing area 346 a and the address informationstored in the address information continuous storing area 348 a differ,communications with the communication destination indicated by theaddress information acquired at step S1602 can be started as at stepS1603; if they match, communications with the communication destinationindicated by the address information stored in the address informationcontinuous storing area 348 a can be started and the process can go tostep S1604.

Comparison can be made to see if the address information differs as atstep S1204 in the eighth embodiment described above just after stepS1602 in FIG. 38 in the twelfth embodiment described above; instead,identification information may be compared as in the eleventh embodimentdescribed above.

In the tenth embodiment, etc., described above, by way of example, themobile telephone 380 of the terminal camera unit system of the inventionis provided with the detection section 384 for detecting attachment ofthe camera unit 382. However, the invention is not limited to it. Forexample, the camera unit 382 may be provided with similar detectionsection for sending the detection result directly to the mobiletelephone 380 or detection section for once sending the detection resultto the camera unit 382, which then sends the detection result to themobile telephone 380.

Further, when the camera unit 382 is attached to the mobile telephone380, as the camera unit 82 receives power supply from the power supply344 and is energized, the camera control section 330 (which may be amicrocomputer, etc., for example) of the camera unit 382 may notify theterminal control section 336 that the camera unit 382 is attached to themobile telephone 380 through a communication pass or a port.

In the tenth embodiment, etc., described above, when the camera unit 382is attached to the mobile telephone 380, the detection section 384detects attachment of the camera unit 382 and the processing operationshown in the flowchart of FIG. 33 is performed. However, when power ofthe mobile telephone 380 is turned on, the processing operation startingat step S1401 in the flowchart may be performed.

In the sixth to ninth and eleventh embodiments, etc., described above,the detection section 384 similar to the detection section 384 in thetenth embodiment may be provided and when the user starts the cameramode, the detection section 384 may detect whether or not the cameraunit 34, 352, 362, 372, 392 is attached.

In the seventh to eleventh embodiments, etc., described above, by way ofexample, the mobile telephone 350, 360, 370, 380, 390 of the terminalcamera unit system of the invention retains the address information inthe address information temporary storing area 346 a of the volatileSDRAM 346 of the terminal storage section 340, but the invention is notlimited to it. The address information may be retained in nonvolatilememory. For example, the address information may be retained in astorage section only for storing the address information provideduniquely in the mobile telephone 350, 360, 370, 380, 390 or a storagemedium such as a memory card that can be attached to and detached fromthe terminal.

In the sixth to twelfth embodiments, etc., described above, by way ofexample, the terminal camera unit system of the invention acquires theaddress information from the camera storage section 328 through thecamera control section 330 or the information output section 330 a bythe information acquisition section 332 of the mobile telephone 32, 350,360, 370, 380, 390, the monitor camera main body 3100 as shown in FIGS.22, 25, 26, 29, 32, 34, and 37, but the invention is not limited to it.

For example, the camera unit 34, 362, 372, 382, 392, 3102 may includeonly the image pickup control section 330 b and the image processingsection 330 c in the seventh embodiment described above as shown in FIG.25 in place of the camera control section 330 and the informationacquisition section 332 of the mobile telephone 32, 360, 370, 380, 390,the monitor camera main body 3100 may acquire the address informationdirectly from the camera storage section 328 of the camera unit 34, 362,372, 382, 392, 3102 or the camera storage section 328 may directlyprovide the information acquisition section 332 with the addressinformation.

Alternatively, the address information may be sent from the camerastorage section 328 of the camera unit 34, 362, 372, 382, 392, 3102indirectly to the information acquisition section 332 through the cameracontrol section 330. The information acquisition section 332, theterminal storage section 340, the first comparison section 364, thesecond comparison section 374, and the third comparison section 394 maybe implemented as a microcomputer, etc., integral with the terminalcontrol section 336.

In the sixth to eighth and twelfth embodiments described above, by wayof example, in the terminal camera unit system of the invention, theimage data acquisition section 338 is provided in the mobile telephone32, 360, 370, 380, 390, the monitor camera main body 3100 and the cameracontrol section 330 is provided in the camera unit 34, 362, 372, 382,392, 3102, but the invention is not limited to it. The image dataacquisition section 338 may be placed in the camera unit 34, 362, 372,382, 392, 3102; in addition, only the image pickup section 326 and thecamera storage section 328 may be placed in the camera unit 34, 362,372, 382, 392, 3102 and the camera control section 330 may be placed inthe mobile telephone 32, 360, 370, 380, 390, the monitor camera mainbody 3100.

In the sixth to twelfth embodiments described above, the terminals usedwith the terminal camera unit system of the invention are the mobiletelephones 32, 360, 370, 380, and 390 and the monitor camera main body3100. However, the terminals that can be used with the terminal cameraunit system of the invention are not limited to the mobile telephone 32,360, 370, 380, 390, the monitor camera main body 3100.

1. A camera unit system comprising a camera unit and a terminal to whichthe camera unit enables to be attached, wherein the camera unitincludes: an image pickup section; a camera storage section for storingcamera information concerning the image pickup section; and a cameracontrol section for controlling the image pickup section upon receptionof an instruction about photograph from the terminal and outputtingimage data obtained by the image pickup section to the terminal, and theterminal includes: a camera information acquisition section foracquiring the camera information from the camera storage section; aterminal control section for outputting an instruction about photographcorresponding to the camera information to the attached camera unit ifan operation for picking up an image is performed; and an image dataacquisition section for acquiring image data picked up by the cameraunit.
 2. The camera unit system according to claim 1, wherein theterminal selectively includes a camera unit having the image pickupsection and a predetermined engagement part, or a cover unit having anengagement part same as the engagement part of the camera unit, and theterminal includes an attachment part for engaging with the engagementpart.
 3. The camera unit system according to claim 2, wherein theterminal includes a first housing and a second housing which arefoldably joined to each other, the attachment part is provided in thefirst housing, when the attachment part and the camera unit engage witheach other, a part of the camera unit projects from a surface of thefirst housing opposed to the second housing and an image pickup lens isexposed, and the second housing has a recess part in a predeterminedshape at a position corresponding to the attachment part on the surfaceopposed to the first housing. 4-20. (canceled)